Armed and Dangerous? - Pt1 Cockoo Verse
by Awatere11
Summary: This is for Ladycrow67 and is also being released today for Ianto's birthday ... in my world he may have many more. This is born of some other fan fics I read and enjoyed that made me think. Cybernetic by Doodled93 was a main inspiration .. thanks for that xxx Rated for smut and language ... bit of violence and angst.
1. Chapter 1

1

Ianto sat calmly watching Jack as he settled in the chair opposite.

Jack flicked back his coat to show the Webley and sat back to eyeball the silent archivist who sat with his hands clasped together as if waiting to speak with him about a budget issue.

If he were not so angry he might have found Ianto's manner amusing.

"So" Jack said hating the fact that he was the one to have to speak first, breaking the uncomfortable silence.

Ianto blinked slowly, focusing on him as if only just realizing he was there.

"Sir?"

"Would you care to explain what the fuck just happened please Ianto?" Jack asked politely, even if it was through ground teeth but still Ianto merely blinked.

"I would rather not thank you" Ianto replied.

Jack gaped then snorted.

"The simple fact is, you are going to kill me. It's inevitable. I haven't the power to argue or give you a long winded explanation of something that you have no desire to comprehend" Ianto was speaking in a low monotone, showing his exhaustion, "Please, just raise the gun and squeeze."

"Ianto, I'm not going to …"

"Jack?" Owen entered and moved to the table, placing a rolled kit down, "I need a moment please."

"What?"

"I need to examine Ianto" Owen sighed as he turned to face Jack, the kit unrolling to show a syringe with a clear liquid in it, another needle and some vials.

Ianto moved so fast that Owen didn't even have time to cry out as he was seized by the throat and lifted into the air.

"NO!" Jack screamed, raising the Webley and aiming for Ianto's head.

Then he saw it.

Only for a second as Owen struggled and Ianto looked over at Jack betraying his true emotion.

Relief.

Jack lowered the gun and placed it on the table, watching Ianto's face crumble as he released Owen and stepped back.

"I'm not going to kill you" he informed him.

"Why not?" Ianto whispered, "Are you going to torture me first?"

"What?" Owen swung to stare at Ianto as his hand rubbed his neck, amazed that he wasn't injured.

Ianto's face was streaking with tears as he looked at Owen and smiled weakly through them.

"Protocol 673, subsection B." he whispered, "I have committed a breach of security. I must now be put to death."

Owen paled and swung to gape at Jack, giving Ianto the time to check the distance to the door and then run.

Owen was thrust into Jack's arms, allowing Ianto time to simply smash right through the bullet proof glass of the booth, missing Tosh who was about to open the door, and head into the hub as she screamed his name.

"DUCK!" Ianto roared as he entered the main hub.

Gwen instinctively did, allowing Ianto to vault over her and down the hallway to the lower levels.

Jack was panting as he slammed into walls, chasing the Welshman who was faster than Jack ever imagined, reaching the basement.

"Fuck!" Owen's voice crackled in Jack's ear "Don't go in the basement. You know there is always a fucking monster in the basement. Horror movie rules. Some Queen Bitch Alien thing shitting out Cyberman eggs or some shit"

Jack sighed and tried to open it, cursing as it denied access.

He used his override code and pushed in, finding the large door to the incinerator open and Ianto standing in front of it.

The man was clearly in complete terror as he wailed and his fingers dug as his own face, taking another step towards the flames waiting to consume him.

"Ianto" Jack said softly, "Come here."

"I can't" Ianto sobbed and another stop and had him grimacing against the heat.

"Ianto please. Just come here" Jack begged, stepping closer to him as Owen's voice started cursing down the coms that Ianto must be starting to get heat burn, the CCTV camera in the corner giving those in the hub a bird's eye view of the action.

"I'm so sorry" Ianto whispered, looking at Jack as he took another step.

Gods Jack could smell his suit starting to scorch as Ianto made eye contact, the raw sorrow was horrible to see.

"Ianto, please, come to me" Jack was close enough to reach out, his fingers almost grasping his lapel.

"For what it's worth, I did fight her, I fought as hard as I could" Ianto sobbed, "I am so sorry Jack. You are a good man, I wish … I wish I were one too."

Ianto jumped.


	2. Chapter 2

2

Jack had acted instinctively stepping between himself and Ianto.

He cried out as he felt his arm contact the door while Ianto altered his trajectory, grabbing Jack's braces and swinging them both to one side.

"Why did you do that!" Ianto was sobbing as he grabbed at Jacks' arm, horrified that he was burnt, Why! Why! You bloody fool, I was trying to save you the cleanup of my bloody demise!"

Jack could only grunt as he twisted and writhed on the floor.

"Hurry Owen, oh gods, it's bad" Ianto was almost hysterical as he picked Jack up, running towards the hub, "I'm coming to you, get the pain relief ready!"

He was moving fast, Jack not a hindrance as his speed matched the downward one earlier, Jack like a file or a small artifact, instead of a full grown man.

He vaulted over the railing for the med-bay, landing with such force that the tiles cracked under his feet, straightening to surge forward and place Jack gently on the table.

"Oh god, I think it's to the bone" he was wailing, "OWEN!"

Owen shook himself from his shock and jammed in the syringe, immediately stopping Jack's grunts of pain.

Ianto laid his forehead against Jack's as he continued to sob and scold him.

"You stupid man, you bloody Twypsn. Look what you did to yourself" he whispered, his tears hot on Jack's face, "Why. Why."

Ianto then backed away, his hands shaking as he rubbed his face and seemed to shake himself like a dog coming in from the rain, then he sighed and calmly blinked.

"What can I do to help?" he asked.

"Go and sit down" Owen said as he cut way the sleeve of the drugged captain, Gwen holding the arm up by the hand as Tosh assisted Owen

"Right." He nodded.

Ianto turned and walked from the bay.

"IANTO" Jack called out, his voice slurred but loud, "Don't you … don't you …"

"It's alright Sir" Ianto sighed softly, "I'll be waiting for you."

He then turned and kept moving, heading for the cell block where he calmly opened a cell and stepped inside, pulling the door shut behind him and moving to the shelf that had a bed roll sitting one end.

Ianto sat.

.

.

.

.

Jack woke with a start, sitting up and looking at the heavily bandaged arm with surprise.

"I would rather let the air at it but I know you want to swan about" Owen informed him from the side of the table, "Just try to keep it clean, yeah?"

"Ianto" Jack rasped out.

"Come look" Owen beckoned, not waiting to see if Jack was following as he moved to his secondary workstation in the bay, "He's not moved since he put himself there."

Owen pointed to the monitor where Ianto sat staring silently at the opposite wall.

"Oh gods" Jack whispered.

"He's not spoken or acknowledged any of us, it's doing Gwen's head in" Owen said as he moved away, "It's like he's not there."

Jack watched for a while longer, then sighed and rubbed his face with his good hand, "Tosh, what were you entering the room to tell me when this all kicked off?"

"The conversion unit wasn't actually a conversion unit. Well, not a functioning one." She said softly, "It housed Lisa, powered her and held her but it was not capable of creating another Cyberman. The thing that confused me was this."

She showed him a picture of the side of the unit, "This is some sort of port. It's not hers because we have searched her from top to bottom and there is nothing on her that matches this hexagon shape."

Jack stared at it and frowned, "A download port?"

"I don't think so, it's not a computer port, it is only connected to power so it's a … like … a … charger?"

Jack stood staring for several minutes, then walked down to the cells and stood staring at Ianto.

"Ianto?"

Jack entered the cell and knelt, placing a hand on Ianto's leg and Ianto jumped as he came to life, surging back with a small yelp.

"Ianto, are you OK?" Jack asked

"Why?" Ianto said his default word, "Why?"

"Ianto, what do you need." Jack asked then felt a chill of dread fall over his very bones.

"Ianto." Jack whispered so softly that it was more of a breath releasing

"Do you need to charge?"


	3. Chapter 3

3

When Jack entered the room Gwen stepped back from the conversion table with surprise as her eyes fell on the man following him.

"Tosh, stand by Gwen please" Jack asked calmly and then turned to Ianto.

"Go on, show me" he asked, the same soft voice and Ianto nodded.

He stepped forward and started to roll his sleeve then he grimaced as he placed the inside of his wrist against the table and a clicking/whirring noise was accompanied by the soft hiss as a flap of skin neatly folded back and Ianto connected to the port.

"How long does it take?" Jack asked and Ianto turned to answer, pulling back the arm.

"No!" Jack pushed the arm back to reconnect and Ianto canted his head.

"I will be stronger, more powerful if I charge Sir" Ianto told him calmly, "I have a failsafe to self-protect. If I fully charge I will resist my demise. Please, you have to kill me now while I am too weak to fight death."

"Charge" Jack demanded and Ianto sighed, a tear rolling down his cheek as he stared a Jack.

"Why?"

"Ianto …." Jack sighed, "I do not want to harm you. I do not want to cause you pain and I want you to stop being afraid."

"I am a thing. A … freak" Ianto said sadly, "They left me so … damaged. If not for the failsafe I would have ended it myself but she … she was controlling me. Now … this was the only chance I had and it's been …"

"Wasted?" Jack asked.

"You would have gone with me" Ianto accused, "So no. Not wasted. Just … recharging me like this supersedes my ability to shut myself down."

"You make it sound like you can just be stuffed away in a box" Owen said from the doorway with surprise, "Would it be that easy? To step into a closet and power down for a day? A week? How long can you sustain?"

"I can go 48 hours at full capacity, shutting down or moving to low level service in off-peak times I can stretch to 90 hours. Full shut down … a week" Ianto answered calmly as his head turned to look at Owen and Owen saw the desperation and raw despair in his eyes before he cast them down.

"You sound so clinical. Is that Ianto talking, or a robot?" Owen asked as he stepped closer.

"It's me. She could control core parts of my brain that have cyber implants . Not enough to control me, I was not a puppet, but I was a prisoner" Ianto frowned, "She could cause pain, punishment if I deviated from the path she set. I have advanced thinking and extra brain capacity. I was already intelligent with a genius IQ, it's merely been … tweaked."

"So… if you tried to warn us she could stop you?"

Ianto turned back to Jack, who had placed a hand on Ianto's arm as he spoke.

"Yes. I could only do sleight of hand, chose times when she was too busy watching something else. I don't know how many notes and things I slipped into files you wanted before realizing that you didn't read them," Ianto sighed.

"I saw them, thought it was about T1. The moment I saw anything to do with cybertech I binned it" Jack moaned, "Oh Gods, you've been trying to warn me all along."

"I am sorry sir" Ianto shook his head sadly, "She caught on in the end and I spent four hours in punishment. She had never been so angry."

"So she saw what you saw, like … a hitchhiker?" Owen asked with genuine interest.

"Yes. Just her, only her. Lisa and I were partnered subjects. Ms Hartman believed that the other experiments had failed as they were singular and needed a hive mind. Lisa was the Queen, I her drone. There was another drone but she made me kill him within days of assimilation as he was … weak."

"Christ" Owen turned and stared at the wall for a moment as he tried to decide what was more disgusting. The fact that Ianto had been used like a guinea pig, or that he seemed resigned to it.

"When you sign the contract for Torchwood, you sign all the way, heart, body and soul" Ianto said to Owen, "I just never realized there was a clause that said you also gave away any rights as a citizen, as a human. My advanced mind and eidetic memory interested her, she wanted to see how far the Queen would push me. When I killed Martin she was so pleased that she kissed me, crowing that I was her greatest prize."

"I bet Lisa didn't like that" Jack said softly.

"No. She rampaged, killing three scientists and had me kill our handler before I managed to entangle myself in some wiring and render myself inactive." Ianto shuddered.

"I am sorry" Jack rubbed his face as Ianto turned back to him.

"It is OK Sir" Ianto assured him, "I did my duty for Queen and Country."

Jack let his hand drop and he stared at Ianto as if seeing him for the first time.

"Tell me one thing"

"Sir?"

"Us?" Jack knew he sounded needy but he couldn't help it, "Was it her that pushed you into my line of sight?"

"No" Ianto said firmly, "She was not happy about the direction we took. She punished me regularly for … deviating."

Ianto then smiled softly, "Sir."

Jack nodded as he watched Ianto's eyes lower again.

"For what it' worth Ianto" Jack said as he reached out to take the hand that was moving away from the power port, "I'm glad you deviated now and then. Those deviations were … special to me."

Ianto blushed as he looked though his lashes at Jack.

"Thank you sir, they were to me as well. That's why I tried to spare you the upset of my shutdown. I … I didn't want to hurt you and I know that I have" Ianto's lip quivered as he looked down again, "I know you will never forgive me but please know … I did like them too."

Owen looked from one man to the other and huffed with annoyance, "Right. Med-bay. Now. Show me what you've got. I bloody hate this. Do you have any idea the fucking paperwork you've created you twat? Christ almighty, I'm going to have to redo your entire medical file."

Ianto let Owen push him from the cell and up the stairs, "Bloody Twat! Miles of paperwork. I hate fucking paperwork."

"Sorry Owen, I would offer to help but I am going to have to be locked out of mainframe before I am … disengaged so I don't try to save myself" Ianto said sadly, "I would have completed them for you."

Owen glanced back at Jack "When are you going to tell him, or is he supposed to dangle a while longer? Christ Jack, hasn't he been a puppet long enough?"

Ianto looked up with confusion, then back at Jack.

"Get a grip T-Boy" Owen quipped, "He's not going to kill you. He still wants to keep you."

Jack didn't have the energy to deny it.


	4. Chapter 4

4

Ianto followed Jack silently, like a wraith and it took Jack a few minutes to get what the problem was.

He had no direction.

"How strong was her control?" Jack asked.

"She chose the colour of my tie, the food I ate as she wanted to experience the taste through me" Ianto frowned, "Things like that."

"You made small choices, inconspicuous ones as a way of showing defiance?"

"Yes sir" Ianto smiled.

"So, now she's gone you have no idea what to do, do you" Jack sighed.

"Sir" Ianto concurred with a soft cant of his head.

"Coffee might be a nice start" Jack said as he sat and Ianto frowned as he studied him.

"But … am I not …I mean…" Ianto stammered with confusion.

"I'm angry, I will consider what action to take once I've calmed down. Suspension will be the first step. You need time to acclimatize yourself to the silence in your head, we need time to lick our wounds as well." Jack leaned back to face him, "But coffee first, yeah?"

"Sir" Ianto nodded, heading off.

"So that's it?" Gwen asked from the doorway, "We give him a pass?"

"He has woken to a new world where he has no idea what he is going to do" Jack said calmly as he watched Gwen stalk in and slump into a chair, "He was a test subject, kept in a lab and experimented on, all in the name of Torchwood. How much more would you like him to suffer for the sins of his mistress?"

Gwen blanched at the thought

"Imagine it Gwen, you were on that table for how long?" Jack gave her a moment, "Imagine spending the two years leading up to the Ghost Shifts where that cold hearted bitch was playing God. Two years with no control over your life, scared, alone, lost."

Ianto was down below, handing Tosh a dainty cup and Jack could see her fingers delicately take the cup as she thanked him.

"How do you know it was that long?" she finally asked.

"After T1 fell we went through the ruins, we found a lot of shit we didn't really want to know even existed. Project Cyberhive was documented on the cloud servers. We just never knew she had actually initiated it, we thought she was using rats or monkeys. Christ." Jack rose and walked over to watch Ianto as he reached out to place a biscuit on Owens plate for him. "They operated on him, tortured him. Humans. Not other Cybermen, it was us that did this. Torchwood."

"Torchwood London" Gwen corrected him, "Not us."

"Gwen, you need to remember that Ianto doesn't see the distinction there" Jack huffed, "Torchwood is torchwood. He didn't come here to save her, he could have taken her anywhere and waited it out. No, he came here with her because he needed Torchwood. This is the only thing he knows. We must terrify him. We are his masters now."

Gwen looked at Jack was horror as he let her have a moment.

"Ianto is terrified. He just tried to kill himself, did you realize that?" Jack asked and then watched her change gear as she rose from the chair.

"We have to help him" she blustered, "My god, he needs … he needs help."

"Owen has started tests, we are waiting for him to decide what to tell me" Jack smiled softly, "He is already trying to work out how to protect Ianto from my temper. Funny isn't it. The snarky prick of a doctor is more concerned than the one who wants to remind us how to be human."

Gwen huffed as she stormed from the office and Jack smiled to himself as he watched her head down to Ianto, then his smile faded as Ianto physically rocked back, followed by Owen's raised voice.

"What happened!" he demanded as he came down the steps.

"She just asked him if there were more fucking cybermen in the city!" Owen snarled, "Like they have a secret fucking handshake and meet each Friday night for dinks and to discuss their plans to take over the fucking world!"

"I didn't mean it like that!" she snarled, "I was just asking if there were more …. Stuff he had somewhere."

"Gwen, Owen and I went over Ianto's flat with a fine toothed comb, you saw what was downstairs and there were no other bolt holes. He didn't own any other properties and we checked the entire hub for another room" Jack was angry now, shaking as he watched Ianto take another step back, "He is no more hiding another Cyberman than you are still a copper."

Ianto took another step.

"Ianto freeze" Jack said calmly, watching the man become a stature.

"Take three steps forward" Jack said and Ianto calmly took the three strides to stand in front of Gwen, so close they were touching.

"Hit her for me" Jack demanded.

Ianto slowly turned his head to stare at him, "Why?"

"There" Jack pointed, "See? Ianto has free will. He chooses to override my order as it didn't make sense. He can now tell us if we are still in danger and I trust that he would have by now."

"I am obliged to" Ianto said, as Jack had hoped, "Under subsection 93 of the employment contract, I must inform my superior of any danger."

"Which is why you kept trying to, even though it meant she kept punishing you for it" Jack smiled.

"Of course sir" Ianto said with a shrug as he turned to Gwen, "I do not have any other entity in my care."

"Satisfied?" Owen demanded as he sneered at Gwen, "Yeah? Good? Fucking grand then!"


	5. Chapter 5

5

Ianto stood under the water, letting the shower soothe as he stared at a broken title.

 _Must fix that._

He heard movement and turned to see Jack standing there silently watching, his mouth in a thin line as he stared at him and Ianto turned his back to him, not wanting his tears to be recognized amongst the droplets of water.

"Hop out" Jacks voice was soft, gentle and Ianto complied without hesitation.

"Here, get dry" Jack offered a towel and Ianto accepted it gracefully, drying himself as he watched Jack lay out a staff tracksuit and plain white t-shirt.

"You didn't have a spare set of clothes and I remembered you set up these spares incase of damage in the field." Jack knew he was rambling but didn't want to look back, knowing the tears had been embarrassing to Ianto.

"Thank you Sir" Ianto whispered, pulling the white cotton boxer shorts on, followed by the track pants.

"Sit so I can finish your hair" Jack offered and Ianto sat on the bench seat, allowing Jack to towel dry his hair and arrange it into a style he preferred.

Like a huge living doll.

Jack's hands stalled as he tried to push that thought away and he sat facing his current charge.

"Jack?"

"Yes Ianto?" Jack asked softly, pleased to hear his name used for once.

"What will happen to me?" Ianto asked, "I have no purpose now."

"I need you" Jack said quickly, then heard the need in his voice as Ianto's eyes widened slightly, "You are my archivist and know all the codes for the secure areas. You have an impeccable filing system that I don't want messed up and your coffee is to die for. I … Ianto."

Jack shuffled closer and reached out the stroke the smooth cheek, "Ianto, your purpose is to be a member of my team. OK?"

"Team Torchwood?" Ianto frowned, "Or Team Jack."

"Which do you think?" Jack asked as he chose a hand to examine, "Do you not think they are one and the same?"

"You are not Torchwood. Not like me. I am Torchwood because I belong to them. You are Jack as you belong to no one but yourself" Ianto reasoned "So I guess … I would rather be Team Jack if that's OK. I've done Team Torchwood and that kind of sucked."

Jack smiled at the small show of humor, something Ianto was not known for by others and the rare times he had seen it always pleased him.

Ianto reached for the t-shirt, then stopped moving and looked back at Jack, "Would you like to see?"

"See what?" Jack asked.

"My arm. Would you like to see?" Ianto repeated and Jack nodded dumbly, wondering what he was about to see.

Ianto reached up and touched a spot just under his armpit and seemed to shiver, then Jack watched the skin suddenly seam, peel back towards the joint and the damaged arm started to show itself under its disguise.

By the time Ianto was placing the cyber arm in Jack's lap he was already reaching for the deformed stump, his fingers gently stroking the gouges and scar tissue.

"Lisa did it" Ianto said calmly, not looking at Jack or his damaged limb, "When I was first introduced they had not calibrated my implants properly and she saw me as a threat, she tore the arm off before they could stop her."

"And then they put you back in there" Jack snarled as he watched the stump move when Ianto shrugged.

"They knew I would never defy her" Ianto said sadly, "They knew my fear of her would be the best control."

Jack felt the weight of the limb in his lap and hefted it, looking at the wires inside it, small connectors. Future Tec.

"Does it hurt?" he asked, offering it back.

"It … yes" Ianto admitted, "Sometimes it aches. The weight pulls and if it had been a rigorous day I can't get it off as the wires are too deeply imbedded."

"Why?"

"The harder the work, the more strength required, the deeper the connectors go to ….well …. Feed? I don't know what you call it. Charge?" Ianto frowned, "They didn't explain everything to me, I was just a drone after all. Lisa knew more, sometimes if I asked her just right, she would explain a bit to me before growing bored."

"Hungry?"

"Yes sir. Very I've not eaten since yesterday morning" Ianto nodded, looking at his hands folded in his lap.

"Come on" Jack rose and held out his hand, "I'm hungry too."

They walked up to the meeting room and Jack watched Ianto automatically moving to dispense the food, pouring a drink for Owen as he reached across to place a napkin for Gwen, his polite smile in place.

Jack looked at his team and tried to find any discourse, pleased to see everyone had automatically accepted Ianto on his usual role.

Ianto settled in his chair and looked at his food with silent repose.

"What's wrong Ianto?" Jack asked.

"I hate sushi" he finally replied, "It was her favorite so I always had to eat it. Is it wrong that I don't want it now?"

Tosh was already rising to slide some dim sums onto his plate and the rest of the team followed her lead until everyone else had sushi with their meals and Ianto had none.

He sat looking at his selections and balled his hand into a fist, Jack reaching to cover it and feel it relax again.

"Tomorrow you pick lunch" he said softly, "Your choice."

Ianto nodded silently and swallowed, staring at his plate and then he reached out to take a chip, chewing it slowly as he examined the food more.

"Does it taste different?" Gwen asked and Ianto raised his head, his tears now visible as he nodded.

"Oh Pet" she sighed, rising and moving around the table to embrace him.

"I'm sorry" he started to cry, "It's just … you are all so nice and it's so strange. I'm eating a chip covered in vinegar and not getting punished for it."

Gwen crooned as she rubbed his back and he took another chip, humming as he enjoyed it without fear.

Jack watched Tosh considering how to help and Owen silently slid the rest of his chips onto the plate.

Ianto was going to be OK.


	6. Chapter 6

6

What they did not need right now was a Rift Spike but as they scrambled Jack watched Ianto run for the SUV, already holding Owen's med-kit like it was just another day at the office.

He knew by the time they climbed in there would be everything they might need, his desire to be of service evident as he raced back to help slide Gwen's coat on. He warned her it was raining and her boots would not like the puddles.

"Thanks pet" she smiled, kissing his cheek as he held her door and helped her in.

"I've taken the liberty of placing your converse by your feet, if this does go off road you will change footwear, won't you?" he begged and she nodded as she reached for them and started to toe off her leather boots.

"Thanks Ianto, this rain wasn't forecast when I listened to the report at breakfast with Rhys" she smiled.

"Ah Rhys, how is he? Is his back any better?" Ianto asked as he watched Tosh slide into her seat.

"No, he's going to the chiropractor again" she sighed, "Poor lamb, that disc is still not quite in alignment."

Jack watched the interaction and decided to let it ride, just to see what would happen if they simply overlooked a last few days.

"Ah, well. Tell him I said Hi" Ianto closed the door and stepped back as Jack finally slid into the driver's seat, papers in his hands he had scooped from files that Ianto knew he would have to replace.

"Thanks Ianto" Jack called out as the door slammed shut and the SUV roared off, leaving Ianto alone.

Ianto started to walk back into the hub when it suddenly occurred to him that he was unsupervised.

His steps slowed until he was standing still, aghast.

"Ianto?"

He jumped as the coms burst into life, "Ianto, are you at a workstation?"

"One moment Sir" he said as he ran for the hub, sliding into Tosh's station and logging in at speed, "Here"

"I go the wrong dimensional box, god damn it all, is there an alternative way to contain Hydrakep?"

Ianto considered and canted his he as he stared into space, "I do believe they have an aversion to water, ironic given their name" Ianto said after a pause, "I recall reading a file where one was killed by placing it in water. If your wish is to contain I suggest a spray bottle? There is one for cleaning the windscreen inside the SUV. You can … corral it?"

"Well done!" Jack panted and Owen's yell that he had found the spray bottle told Ianto that they were all listening and his opinion seemed to matter.

When the SUV returned they found Ianto waiting with the correct sized containment box and they slid the creature from the lidded bucket to the box and Owen then carried it off as Jack leaned against the SUV.

"Well done Ianto, we were able to get it into the bucket to escape the spray" Jack explained.

"Yes. I'm glad I could help" Ianto smiled softly, then ducked his head, "Now I have an SUV to clean."

Gwen was walking past and she stopped, "Thanks for the shoes, it was hell out there!"

She was cradling her impeccable boots as her muddy converse sat on the ground by the SUV.

"Glad to serve" Ianto said softly as he stooped to pick up the shoes.

Jack acted without thought, the pert arse an invitation as his hand stroked over an arse cheek and they he pulled his hand back with horror, "God, sorry Ianto. It's just … you have a lovely arse, I didn't mean to … I mean."

"It's OK sir" Ianto whispered as he leaned in close, "You think I don't know to bend me knees?"

As he minced away Jack started to laugh.

The minx had been taunting him. In broad daylight, in the middle of a huge mess his lovely Welshman had deliberately propositioned him.

Jack ran after him, plastering him against the wall and kissing him, putting as much into it as he could and he felt the man go limp in his arms, then his fingers scrabble for handfuls of great coat as he pulled Jack against him even more.

"That was … naughty" Jack panted as he finally drew back and Ianto grinned dopily.

"I'll not be punished for that this time either" Ianto said dreamily. "I can even have some … impure thoughts … and she can't do a damned thing about it."

"Impure huh?" Jack's eyes danced, "Do I feature in these pure thoughts? I do hope it's my good side."

"No sir" Ianto said calmly, watching Jack's eyes widen, "You are bad … all the way."

Then Ianto blushed, his eyes wide with shock at his own words and he snorted softly as Jack laughed.

"Well done, you just surprised me again" Jack smiled softly, "in a good way."

Ianto nodded, his fingers still clutching at the greatcoat and Jack leaned in to steal another kiss, "OK?"

"Yeah" Ianto whispered, not the unusual 'yes sir' but a soft sigh as Ianto let himself be seen.

Jack led him into the hub where everyone was laughing and Owen was doing a fair impression of Jack's swagger.

"What's this?" Jack asked and Tosh turned, still laughing.

"Owen was just reviewing your handling of the poor Heddlu" she giggled.

"I don't walk like that!" he spluttered.

Suddenly Ianto became larger, more imposing as he swaggered over to Owen and stuck his hands n his pockets, then screwed his face up, "So? What do ya say Owen?"

Owen blinked at the prefect 'Captain Harkness' parody and bursts into peals of laughter.

"Well, OK, maybe I walk like that" Jack amended as the girls joined in.

"Not to worry, you know how I did it?" Ianto asked as he turned neatly in a heel to face Jack.

"How do you replicate my walk Ianto?" Jack asked.

"I imagine my balls two sizes too big" Ianto replied and everyone shrieked as Jack gasped and grabbed at his chest with horror

"Only two?" Jack squeaked.

"Sir" Ianto's voice dropped low, "You've seen my balls."

"Yeah" Jack snorted, "OK, fair enough."

"What?" Gwen asked, suddenly getting the conversation.

"Let's just say … he doesn't need to embellish his … size" Jack grinned at her, "He is definitely more than a handful this one."

"Jack!" Ianto gasped with a scandalized look of horror.

Gwen shrieked and flapped her hands as Tosh choked on her drink.

"I've seen both of you and I can say with all confidence that you are both too big for your fucking underwear!" Owen said angrily, "Too much for any man to handle, all that stuffed in your pants."

Ianto blinked and looked at Jack who seemed to be having trouble finding a polite response.

"Just as well Jack isn't 'any man' then Owen because he's the only one who could handle me" Ianto finally said calmly and Jack finally started to laugh, bending at the waist and grabbing his knees as he shrieked with mirth.

Gwen gaped as Tosh finally got her breath and wiped tears from her cheeks.

Owen rolled his eyes as he adjusted his own handful.

Fucking showoffs.


	7. Chapter 7

7

Ianto was not surprised when Jack arrived in the doorway of the cell, looking around silently at the sterile space.

"I wondered where you were" he said softly.

"I have done all required of me plus me extra duties" Ianto said as he calmly raised his head to look at Jack, "I have no other purpose at this moment in time so I thought I would power down until needed again."

"I see" Jack nodded.

"We need to make some changes, obviously you need the recharging piece of the table so we need a room for that" Jack pointed out and Ianto nodded silently.

"So … there is a room in the secure archives where I thought a piece of Cyber Tech could reside without Unit or someone detecting it." Jack continued as he walked slowly around the walls of the cell, "We could make it quite comfy and less sterile than this. You could have your own space to retreat to when you need to be safe or alone."

"I like to be alone" Ianto said softly, "I like … silence. It's strange not to have her scrabbling in my skull, ya know? It's peaceful."

"I figured" Jack smiled, "Come on, let's see shall we? I would like to give you a few weeks off, time to settle into your new quarters and get used to your new found freedom."

"I would ... I mean … can I stay?" Ianto's voice so low you could barely hear it.

"Ianto" Jack sighed, "I will not send you away or shut you away. OK? I want you here. With us. With me. OK? You are more than welcome to stay, to keep working but I want to take time for you. Maybe this weekend I can take you to one of my favorite spots, somewhere I like to go for some alone time. A little cabin in the woods I've owned for over a century."

"I … I like the woods" Ianto stammered, looking up with interest, "I liked hiking with me Mam when I was young."

"I like the woods, the silence and the natural order of things" Jack smiled. "It's by a lake so we can swim and fish as well. You feel like that?"

"I would like that very much, yes" Ianto smiled, a real smile that lit up his face and Jack smiled back.

"Here we are" Jack said as they entered the room and Ianto was immediately taken with the size of the room, not to mention the small bathroom attached.

"This was part of the original works" Jack was telling him, "The railway workers washed here before going up into the light so as not to offend the public."

"Apt then, me not liking to offend either" Ianto smiled as he looked at the shiny tiles and large room.

"Well? A big bed, a sofa and coffee table, a TV?" Jack asked.

"Well, maybe a desk too?" Ianto asked softly, "I would like somewhere to continue work, I hate leaving things undone."

"Also you can hide in here if you are having a down day" Jack suggested, "I know you have those."

"I do" Ianto sighed, "I … some days I feel sort of … flat. Ya know?"

"Yeah. Survivors of trauma sometimes feel sort of empty and confused for no reason, hitting at weird times" Jack watched Ianto's face as he spoke and watched the emotions moving beneath the mask.

"Well, I'm going to talk to Owen about being in charge while I'm gone, best stay down here or the crowing might burst an eardrum" Jack joked and Ianto smiled happily as he started to pace the area to measure for furniture.

As Jack jogged up through the levels he was surprised at the feeling of euphoria he gained from Ianto's quiet acceptance of the space.

They drove to Ianto's flat and Jack felt sick as he looked at the sparse belongings.

"I have some in storage. I put it all away when I realized torchwood was consuming me" Ianto explained, "I .. I don't have much."

"Well, I do love shopping" Jack assured him, "I want a big sturdy bed with lots of pillows. Do you like pillows? I love pillows. Lots of pillows."

He was babbling again and Ianto seemed to find it endearing as he looked at Jack and smiled, reaching out to silence him with a soft palm against his cheek.

"Jack" he whispered, "Will you share that bed sometimes? I mean ... I know you are a social butterfly I'm not asking for ... but … sometimes. Will I have your warmth?"

"Ianto, even if the sun burns out, there will be enough warmth for you" Jack smiled softly, "I swear."

"Good" Ianto stepped away, his blush vivid as he tried not to look shocked at his moxie and Jack laughed softly.

"I love your ways" he assured Ianto, "any time you want to be forward with me, don't hesitate OK? I will never turn you down."

Ianto nodded, his smile lovely as he turned to examine the wall, clearing his throat as Jack reached for a set of drawers.

"This will fit in the SUV" Jack started the conversation again, letting Ianto move away from the embarrassment of the proposition; "We can take all this now. OK?"

"That would be good" Ianto said happily, then he dropped to a knee and calmly lifted a section of floor, revealing a hidden space.

Jack tried not to look shocked as he knelt to watch Ianto remove several books, some files and memory sticks, followed by a framed picture.

"Who's that?" he asked reaching for the picture and looking at a pretty blonde woman who was laughing, her ponytail pert.

"Me Mam" Ianto said sadly, "She died when I was still a child. It's the only photo I have of her so I tried to hide it from Lisa."

"I understand" Jack said, thinking of his memory tin.

"Come on, let's take this home" Jack said, deciding to call the hub that from now on, hoping to reinforce the notion of a place of safety in Ianto's mind.

As they headed back to the hub he watched Ianto's face relax, letting go of another hurdle in his journey to freedom.

If Lisa were not gone, Jack would have happily carved her to pieces as she twisted beneath his blade.

Bitch.

He was not going to let her memory hurt Ianto now.


	8. Chapter 8

8

Ianto was making up the bed, looking at the pillows piled up and he smiled as he remembered Jack's glee as he kept filling the trolley while extolling the virtues of having so many pillows.

It was all still so confusing and terrifying.

He kept expecting Lisa to punish him, strike him down for his insolence and he stopped shaking a pillow into a cover as he listened, thinking he heard something scuttling.

He turned slowly, expecting to see her in the doorway, instead finding Jack wandering in humming as he flicked through a file.

"Sir? Where you speaking just then?" Ianto frowned.

"Nope" Jack smiled and placed the file down, looking down at it as he wondered _where they would place a large sea mammal the size of a hippo until the ship was refueled._

"We have a tank in the lower levels sir" Ianto said absently as he shook the pillow some more, "It is watertight and would fit an elephant happily, so a hippo should be OK."

Jack stared at him and looked at the file again, trying to understand what was happening, then he looked at Ianto again. He thought as calmly as he could _is Ianto hungry_.

"Was going to order lunch soon" Ianto sighed, "You and your gut!"

Jack smiled, clapping a hand over his mouth as he realized what was happening, _thinking about messing up the bed._

Ianto straightened up and turned to face him, his mouth open, "Is that even possible?"

"I could show you" Jack snorted, "Ianto. How long have you been telepathic?"

"What? Don't be silly" Ianto snorted, picking another pillow to cover.

"Ianto, we've been having a conversation without me speaking" Jack said softly, _You can hear me_.

Ianto turned and frowned at him, canting his head with confusion.

 _Can you hear this?_

Ianto's eyes widened and he surged forward, grabbing Jack and examining his face, "That … but it's you. It's your voice and …"

"It's how she controlled you" Jack said as he hugged Ianto to him, "She was in your head."

"I thought it was the implants" Ianto hummed, "So, they were enhancing a natural ability, do you think?"

"I think so." Jack nodded, "She was your primary so she could control you with suggestion. Now you see me as your primary so you are like … rewiring your brain to allow for me instead."

"Well" Ianto blinked, "It does make sense. The weird tests they kept putting me though."

"Ooooo, this could be fun" Jack tried to lighten it, seeing the fear in Ianto's eyes as he rubbed against him, "I can make all sorts of suggestions in public where you can't hit me."

Ianto blinked and then to Jack's delight he laughed.

Throwing his head back, exposing his throat, he brayed.

Jack kissed the Adam's apple bobbing in front of him and Ianto growled as he seized Jack, lifting him and throwing him onto the bed like he was a child.

Jack huffed with delight at the display of power as Ianto stalked him, growling as he tore at their clothing and Ianto was entering him before he could even register the change in tempo.

"It's OK" Jack soothed, rubbing Ianto's back as he pushed into Jack as far as he could, whimpering with need. "Easy now, it's OK, take me. Take me sweetling."

Ianto found a lot of things pillows are good for as he arranged Jack, fucking him blind and Jack was so tired and debouched at the end of it that he could barely breathe for the effort.

Bite marks, scratches and bruises littered his body as Ianto slammed into him and cried out filling him as that arm gently cradled his head.

"Ohhhh, Jack, ahhhhhh. Cariad!" Ianto slumped into his arms shuddering through his release and Jack panted softly as he rubbed his back and shoulders, groaning as his own orgasm tore through him.

"It's OK" Jack soothed, "I'm here. Right here. You are not alone Ianto. You don't ever have to be alone again."

Ianto was weeping, his lips kissing as he worshiped Jack, his hands stroking skin and soothing the violence. Slowly winding down until his hands were fluttering against him.

"Are you OK?" Jack finally asked.

"I need … I … need …"

"Shit!"

Jack was pulling him to the side of the bed and reaching for the recharger, silently thanking Tosh for making it more portable and he held it to the wrist, relieved as it engaged.

"It's OK baby" Jack crooned as he watched Ianto's eyelids slide shut, shutting down to recharge.

He sat watching Ianto relax into the bedding and then rose to start tidying the bed up around him, thinking about the strange turn of events.

Ianto had fucked him to the point of oblivion.

For both of them.

It hadn't been violent though, even when it seems so animalistic, the love in Ianto's eyes had been real.

Jack sighed as he stroked his forehead, then leaned over and kissed his forehead.

He headed up to order lunch, remembering Ianto's pleasure at the chips and by the time the large parcels of fish and chips arrived he handed them out and then headed back down to set up the coffee table.

By his calculations Ianto was almost ready to come back.

As Ianto had always waited for him, it was his turn now.

Jack sat and waited for Ianto.


	9. Chapter 9

9

Ianto was so happy to see the food that he grabbed Jack and kissed him, thanking him like it was Christmas.

Jack sat and considered Ianto's life.

He served.

All of them. Constantly.

Who cared for Ianto?

"You do" Ianto said around a mouthful of chips, "Stop thinking. Eat, they are so yummy and soggy!"

Jack laughed and took some chips, then reached for the cans of soda pop, offering one.

"Oh, thank you" Ianto beamed as he accepted it, "This is so lovely. You do serve me. You worry if I am warm, fed, you look at my feet and wonder if my socks are warm enough, you watch Owen and worry if he is annoying me too much, oh Jack, you do care for me."

"I … guess I do" Jack smiled, "I just … I want you to be happy, safe and comfortable."

"I'm all set for tomorrow" Ianto gushed, "Three whole days, I can't take the recharger so if I charge tonight, shut down in the car there and back plus at night, I can last easily on the one recharge."

"I hadn't thought about that" Jack frowned, "We need to sort your recharges to last longer. Or …. not at all."

"No recharge means the Cyber tech shuts down" Ianto said calmly, "No Cyber Tech, no brain activity and I die."

"I know" Jack sighed, "Still. I won't stop looking for a solution for you. So you can be free if it."

"Thank you Sir" Ianto smiled.

"Right!" Jack smiled, "Owen is all ready to take over and I know you will have packed the secondary SUV. Let's get through the days' activities, recharge over night and then we go."

"Yes Sir" Ianto smiled, "Sounds like a plan."

"What Owen?" Jack frowned, listening to the coms and Ianto canted his head to listen.

"I know the Barrens Sir" Ianto frowned, "That's not really such a good thing."

Jack looked at Ianto and his shoulders slumped as he nodded, knowing their weekend of fun was about to be shelved.

"Well, you have just recharged. One night away will be OK, right?" Jack asked softly, "Maybe two? We can do the little getaway next weekend then."

Ianto felt Jack's disappointment and sought to appease him, "Two more tents, one for the girls and one for Owen."

Jack smiled as he got the third tent's unspoken occupants and nodded, "Go pack the others please Ianto."

"Sir" Ianto was literally bouncing and Jack knew he was humming under his breath as he went, something that was endearing about him.

Owen was the first to comment when Ianto slid into the back seat, "Oi! We taking the T-boy?"

"Yes Owen" Jack replied, "He has actually been out in the wild, like beyond the safety of street lights and stuff."

"What is that smell!" Owen suddenly bellowed, reminding Ianto if a small child trying to escape the car restraint as he threw himself about in the seatbelt.

"Behave!" Jack growled.

"Eww. I hate it already" Owen muttered, "No bloody loo, no room service and no bloody where to plug on your tech stuff!"

Jack slammed on the brakes and the SUV fishtailed through traffic, coming to a stop against the barrier rails. Jack spun in the seat to roar into Owen's face.

"SAY THAT AGAIN!"

"Huh?"

"Go on Owen" Jack snarled, "Call Ianto that again!"

"What?" Owen gaped, then the blood drained from his face as he went over the words, "no.. No … I never … I meant my fucking laptop ya twat! How dare you insinuate I meant him!"

Ianto sat with a look of pure horror, Tosh leaning in to interrupt the two men. "Now that Ianto knows he didn't mean him, you know he didn't mean him and Owen now has a new thing to call him when feeling like a prick, could you please stop being so touchy and get us the fuck out of the fast lane?"

Everyone gaped at the unusual temper as she defended her workmate who was twisting in his seat with embarrassment that they were even talking about him, let alone arguing.

"Sorry! Jeez, Ms Potty Mouth Sato" Jack muttered and Ianto looked out the window, trying to ignore Gwen's sympathetic glances.

Then came the stop to consult the map and the fiasco with the food, Ianto even more downtrodden so he simply powered down and the car doors slamming powered him back up, sliding out to follow Jack obediently.

"Here. Tent. Tent. Tent!" Jack was pointing and then turned to Ianto and smiled. "Off you all go, this is a team building exercise so go build people!"

"Team building my arse" Owen snarked as he tried to lift a bag and grunted.

Ianto walked past with two bags looking like they were full of cotton wool, dropping them and beginning to empty one methodically as Owen glared at him.

"I hate grass."

"Yes Owen. You hate getting wet, tired feet, cold food, small portions of Chinese and grass." Ianto stopped and canted his head, "And rap music."

"Yeah!" Owen snorted, "I fucking hate rap music!"

"I agree" Ianto nodded as he quickly erected the tent, "Most of them don't even make sense."

"Exactly!" Owen huffed, pointing at Ianto with his little wooden mallet, "Poetry isn't rap."

"The way loss seeps into neck hollows and curls at temples, sits between front teeth. Cavity empty and waiting for mourning to open the way mourning stays forever shadowing vision shaping lives with memory a drawer won't close sleep elusive, smile illusive the only real is grief forever counting the days minutes missing without knowing so that one day you find yourself showering tears. Missing that love like sugar aches teeth" Ianto recited softly and sighed, "The Missing, by Suheir Hammad."

Owen had stood listening and the wooden mallet fell from his fingers as he looked at Ianto, both men locked in each other's gaze.

"You move on" Ianto said flatly, "But you never forget the failure of loss. The Missing."

Owen looked down at his feet as he remembered Katie, her laugh and their last time out here camping.

Ianto nodded and moved away, content to leave him with the reason for his hated of the country air.

Katie's sweet scent was everywhere.


	10. Chapter 10

10

Gwen seemed to smell Owen's bad mood, feeding it like naughty children as they sniped at each other and he finally threw the rock he was carrying to build the fire and stormed off, Jack following.

"Hey" he said softly as he watched Ianto looking over the rambling green.

"Sorry, it's just … loss is so … empty" Ianto shrugged.

"Is that how you feel?" Jack stepped closer, "Empty?"

"Sometimes" Ianto admitted, then swung to face him, "Not with you. When you are near I feel full. Like I might explode with … everything!"

"Well, that's…"

A scream has them both turning and Ianto was running towards the noise, even as Gwen exploded from the trees and into his arms. He embraced her, crooning as he looked over her shoulder at a grim faced Owen.

"We found a body."

And so, here we are.

They are looking at a body, still trying to understand when Ianto drops the crime tape and curses softly, starting to run.

Jack watched him with confusion, then heard the sound of the SUV gunning it's engine and he raced after Ianto, just in time to see Ianto's arm shoot out, catching the door and hauling himself onto the running board.

"NO!" Jack screamed, "LET GO!"

Ianto looked back and released his hand, flying back as Owen roared as well, changing course from chasing the SUV to reach Ianto as he stood and brushed himself down.

"Are you OK?" Owen demanded as he ran his hands over Ianto.

"My hip may be bruised but I am not hurt Owen, honest" Ianto said softly as he allowed the hated touching.

"Jesus" Jack reached them and engulfed Ianto, shaking as he also rubbed his hands over Ianto.

"I'm OK" Ianto soothed, letting himself lean into the hug as Owen fluffed and tried to cover his alarm with anger.

"Wankers!" Owen scoffed, "What the fuck!"

"Come on" Ianto pulled back, "This way."

He started walking and they followed, Owen last as he kicked at the tufts of grass as if they were to blame.

They split up and Ianto was nervous but tried to hide it as Gwen took the spot bedside Jack, leaving him to follow Tosh. Owen meekly followed Gwen and Ianto glanced at Tosh, seeing her lips pursed together with anger.

"Come on, the sooner we find it, the sooner we go home" he said softly, "I think he's ready to hand this over to Unit."

"You think?" she asked with hope and Ianto hummed as he smiled at her.

He was watching a fox run between two building s and turned to comment to Tosh when he found himself alone.

"Tosh?"

He frowned and scanned the area, growing alarmed as a voice in the back of his mind told him there were more than them in the village.

Despite his fear, he activated the Cyber tech and scanned again, getting multiple readings and he realized too late that it was a trap.

He backed up against the building and sent a desperate plea to Jack, TRAP.

He then heard a soft cry and he spun to look in that direction then cursed as he realized his mistake too late, already swinging back as the bag descended over his head and a blow to the back of his head shut him down.

AQUIRING SRART UP LOG IN

.

.

.

START UP INITIATED

.

.

.

POWER MODE AT 70%

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.

.

.

DAMAGE MINIMAL TO HOST

.

.

.

Ianto woke to the darkness.

Smelt stale.

Groaning, he opened his eyes and sat up with surprise, looking to his left and at the still unconscious Tosh.

This wasn't on.

This was not cricket at all!

He rose and examined the room deciding it was a cellar, the sound of Tosh waking drawing him back to her side and he gathered her into his arms as she came back to him, groaning and grabbing for him.

"It's OK little blossom" he soothed, trying to warm her, even as his own body heat was dropping.

They stood and checked their surroundings, finding the coal chute a no go, the pile of shoes unsettling and the fridge of body parts totally un-bloody-acceptable.

Ianto hid himself, falling to the default coffee boy as they were herded upstairs and into the kitchen where the blood splattered hunks of plastic hanging told him all he needed to know.

His Cyber Tech was humming as it catalogued and decided on an action, Ianto's fear feeding it and as he saw an opportunity to allow Tosh an escape route, he took it.

The arm seemed to have a mind of its own as he lifted the man into the air throwing him at the woman as Tosh ran, never looking back.

Ianto called for Jack again, then felt movement behind him a moment too late.

The blow to his head like a weird déjà vu.


	11. Chapter 11

11

REBOOT

…

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.

.

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….REBOOT….

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.

.

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SECONDARY START UP

….

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.

.

Ianto felt hands, pulling him upright and he heard Tosh crying out with fear as he tried to focus, the sack over his head blocking any sight of her.

Had they hurt her?

The sack is whipped off and he finds himself looking at not only Tosh but Owen and Gwen as well, her bloodied side shocking him into submission as he looked for Jack, finding them without their captain.

JACK?

Ianto struggled in his restraints, the approaching knife most unwelcome and then the place starts to shake and Ianto is released, falling to lay stunned as he feels something in the back if his mind trying to understand.

A tractor?

Jack in full temper tantrum.

Oh goody.

Yay.

Whoop-de-doo.

Ianto finds himself in Tosh and Gwen's arms as they struggle with his restraints and then he sees a man raising a gun, aiming for Owen who is struggling with Jack as he tries to make him lower the shotgun.

.

.

.

DANGER

.

.

.

ENGAGE

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.

.

Ianto is on his feet, the man dangling by his wrist as Ianto calmly squeezes until the wrist is mush and the arm disconnects from the hand, the man falling to the floor as he screams and Ianto silently drops the hand as he turns to survey the horrified villagers.

.

.

.

ASSESSING

.

.

.

"Anyone else?" Jack growled as he walked over to touch Ianto's shoulder where he knows the flesh is and he feels Ianto shaking, small tremors naked to the eye.

"It's OK" Jack said softly, rubbing the spot for a moment, then moving away to save Ianto embarrassment.

Gwen insisted on asking the head bastard why and he told her what Ianto could have.

Because he likes it.

Ianto walked outside, feeling like his head was going to explode and Owen found him there, slumped against the wall staring into space.

For a moment, Owen thought he was dead, then he blinked.

"Still here" he said softly, the unerring deadpan humor again.

"How's your head?" Owen squatted and reached out to check an oozing scalp wound.

"Discombobulated" Ianto answered, "Like … something's rattling about, like loose iron flapping in the wind, ya know?"

He was talking as if drunk, slurring as he blinked again and Owen frowned as he looked at his eyes, seeing the shock.

"Come on, how about you lay down in the back of the SUV?" Owen suggested, helping Ianto sand and they staggered over to the open back, Ianto sitting in the trunk as Owen reached for his scanner. "Quick how's ya father?"

Ianto grunted and blinked some more.

"Like I'm grugged" he slurred and Owen looked up.

"Grugged?"

"Yesh grugged" Ianto flopped back and Owen swore as he tried to catch him, helping him settle in the back and he looked around. Seeing Tosh he called out and she went to get Jack.

"What's wrong" he demanded as he strode towards the SUV.

"Ianto had a concussion and some ... lose wiring … if ya know what …"

Whatever else Owen was about to say was eclipsed by the sound of thumping as Ianto started to convulse in the SUV, the vehicle bouncing on its wheels and Owen cried out as he struggled to climb inside and cradle his head.

Jack clambered over the flailing body and tried to help contain him as his limbs thrashed about, crashing into gear and equipment.

Tosh screamed and Gwen came running, one arm across her breasts as she sprinted and as she reached Tosh the drumming heels stopped.

The men were panting, holding the unconscious man as well as each other.

"Fuck!"

Owen spoke for all of them.


	12. Chapter 12

12

Ianto lay in the bed and Jack paced as Owen did another scan, confirming his fears.

The blows to his head had dislodged something.

"What do we do?" Gwen demanded, "Can you fix it?"

"It seems to be knitting back on its own" Owen showed them the small screen, "Like ... something in him is trying to fix it. It's …. Crazy."

"Nanites" Jack whispered then looked at Owen with awe, "He has nanites."

"What the fuck does that mean!" Owen growled, "Where did they come from, you telling me Cybermen have them?'

"No" Jack frowned, "I don't know how he got them."

Ianto groaned from the bed and they all rushed to welcome him back, his look of confusion clearing as he focused on Jack.

"Hey good looking" Jack said softly, "You feeling better?"

"Last time I felt this bad I had to go back in the bloody pod" Ianto rasped out with a frown, "Ouch."

"Pod?" Owen asked.

"It was like a … I don't know … cryogenics tube?" Ianto shrugged, "It had a bed in it and I laid in it, closing the hatch part. They said it was alien tech from The Warehouse or something. It glowed, all gold and …"

Jack was grabbing at his own head, puling at his hair as he tried to calm himself, "Ianto. The gold … was it a light or lights."

"Like lightening bugs" Ianto whispered.

"Chula" Jack breathed and then his face lit up as he pulled Ianto into his arms and kissed him, reveling in the strange turn of events that had brought them here.

The very thing he had always hated himself for, the act that almost destroyed the world. To learn that the Chula Ambulance had saved Ianto was somehow comforting.

"They are still in you?" Jack asked with growing interest.

"They didn't know why" Ianto nodded, "They think maybe the Cyber Tech confused them and they were examining it, then the pod broke down and they refused to leave me."

"I bet Yvonne didn't like that" Jack snorted.

"No she was livid" Ianto smiled.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Owen asked.

"A Nanite is a tiny robot, a Nanobot that moves in a swarm of thousands, they … fix things" Jack said cryptically, "These are futuristic ones that ironically I brought to earth some years back and dumped. Seems the little buggers found a host."

"Are you hungry pet?" Gwen asked, rubbing her hands together, "We could get some food in."

"Oh!" Ianto blinked, "Yes please."

"What would you like?"

Ianto stared at her then looked down coltishly, "Er … I know it's naughty but .. I really feel like a chocolate milkshake."

"Well, what else? Hamburger? Chips? Pizza?"

"Oh!" Ianto perked up, "Pizza. I really want a puffed crust with .. oh … can I have pineapple on it? She hated pineapple and I do so miss the sweet fruit. Hawaiian with lots of pineapple."

He was so childlike that Gwen felt the urge to hug him as she looked down at him and she turned to place the order instead as Owen yelled after her that they needed garlic bread too.

"Oh! That's a good one!" Ianto beamed at Owen who smiled back softly.

"Just a scan" Owen said, rising and checking the progress of the mending, amazed at the tiny little nanobots working away. "Killer headache?"

"Like a real coffee craving" Ianto nodded.

"That should ease soon" Owen pated his shoulder and Jack tried to hide his delight but his grin was huge.

"Come on, let's give him some space" Jack said softly and Ianto glanced up at him with appreciation, settling back in the pillows.

"I'll bring the food back down" Gwen promised, pausing at the doorway to look back and smile as she witnessed Jack leaning in for a gentle kiss.

"I am so embarrassed" Ianto whispered, "What a carry on."

"Terrible" Jack agreed, "After all that talk about size, I was afraid Gwen would beat me to undressing you. It was so horrific. I may be scared for life the way she was undoing your trousers.'

Ianto gaped with a look of total disgust and Jack started to laugh, showing he was teasing.

"Jack!" Ianto spluttered.

"Couldn't resist" Jack smiled, "Don't' know it I can ever resist."

"Resistance if futile, huh?" Ianto raised an eyebrow and they started to giggle.

"Oh my god, the SUV!" Ianto wailed, as he remembered what had happened, "Tell me I didn't mess myself or anything, oh god!"

"Hey, hey" Jack lay and cuddled him, "You did nothing to shame yourself baby"

"I'm sorry" Ianto sighed, "This has all been a bit of a mess."

"Team building 101" Jack assured him, "See how much closer they are?"

"You mean, as in Gwen and Owen are probably shagging?"

"What?" Jack reared back, "No. As in … shit. You think so?"

"I might have been reading into it too much, my inter office romance is not much to go by" Ianto snorted, "I made no secret that I wanted to shag you at first sight."

Jack grinned as he remembered that night in Butte Park and huffed, "Weevil."

"No, at T1" Ianto replied softly, "I served you while you fought with her. Every time I stood and watched you battle, leaned over you to pour the coffee and catch a smell."

Jack groaned as he finally remembered that pert arse moving around the table, he never once looked at the man or said thank you.

"Hey" Ianto whispered, "I heard that. I didn't need a thank you, that smell was enough to keep me going for days."

Jack laughed softly as he gave Ianto another memory, this one more recent and the soft snort told him Ianto liked that one much better.

Jack did too.


	13. Chapter 13

13 Slips

Ianto was up and about, humming softly as he provided refreshments and the gentle slide of a hand across his arse was both welcome and pleasant so he placed a hand on the back of Jack's neck in a gentle squeeze to show it was not spurned.

Jack grinned wider, settling back as Owen droned on about a medical file and Ianto finally sat to listen, canting his head as he went though his data banks.

"We have three similar cases" he finally said and Owen perked up, "All within the last 18 months."

"Any chance of seeing them later?" Owen asked and Ianto nodded.

"After we're finished" Jack said softly, wanting Ianto to stay.

Ianto settled back to listen and before long he was taking notes, not even watching the pen.

"You know, I always wondered how you did that" Owen said softly. "You don't even know you are, do you."

Ianto looked down with surprise then balked, dropping the pen.

"I would often find little notes, I guess I thought they were from Lisa but … maybe it was my mind in overdrive." Ianto shrugged, "They were never bad, helpful things. Things that made things easier around here. I guess it was me all the time."

"I would find some of my equations finished" Tosh said and Ianto smiled.

"Oh, I love doing them" he answered, "I find it stimulating. You are so clever and I sometimes can't finish one then see that you have. I feel so proud of you when you better me."

She giggled happily and he grinned.

After the meeting they all went about their business and the files landed on Owens' desk as requested as Ianto wandered past, more for Gwen and her current search.

"Oh! Thank you!" she said with delight as she noted more than she had asked for. "You are so efficient, better than a robot."

Ianto froze, half way across the hub and slowly turned to look at her with shock.

Tosh looked up from her current file and Owen was already moving, slamming into her personal space as he demanded what she meant by that.

It was obvious by her look of confusion that she didn't understand and Jack came out to see what was wrong, his office door banging open as he strode to the railing to look down at them.

"Gwen. You just compared me to a robot. I believe it has been taken as offensive" Ianto said calmly and Gwen blinked.

Then balked.

"Oh my god!" she rose to her feet, her face pale as she started towards him "Oh Ianto, I am so sorry, me and my big gob, I didn't mean it like that, I swear to god!"

"It's OK" Ianto assured her politely, "I am much better than a robot anyway. After all, I resemble something else that requires batteries and Jack much prefers me."

Jack started to laugh as Gwen's face changed from horror to anger, the vibrator remark obviously part of something he hadn't been privy to.

"Well!" she huffed, turning bake to her workstation with sharp, angry movements.

"Perhaps in future, you get your own batteries and I shall refrain from having to know what they are for" Ianto smiled with that same politeness, "Then, I don't have to pretend I don't know who broke your workstation when it was me, with Jack on top of me trying out the same model."

Ianto turned on his heel and resumed his stalk away and Owen started to join Jack, their laughter bouncing high into the rafters as Tosh clapped her hands to her mouth with delight.

Gwen stood looking at her workstation with a mixture of horror and growing mirth as Ianto defused the entire situation with one lewd comment.

She vowed to watch her comments.

She hadn't meant to say it like that.

Owen moved over to Tosh and looked over her shoulder at her work, pretending he wasn't angry still and Tosh reached out to lightly touch his arm, comforting him.

He found he did like that.

Ianto nodded from the doorway of the kitchen, then looked up at Jack and smiled softly at his captain.

He nodded to show everything was OK and then returned to his duties.

Later that afternoon Gwen found Ianto in the lower stacks of the archives.

"Ianto, I was wondering if you would like to come home with me for Tea tonight" she said softly, and Ianto swung to face her with surprise, "Rhys is making his famous lasagna and I told him what a big mouth I was so he wondered if you were free."

Ianto seemed hesitant and she hastened to add, "Oh Jack too."

Ianto smiled and told her he would ask Jack if he was free, knowing the cheeky responses he might get if he worded it that way.

He entered to find Jack in a phone conversation and he waited patiently for him to finish.

"Yes Ianto?"

"Gwen had invited us home for Tea" Ianto said softly, "Apparently Rhys' lasagna is famous."

"Oooooh" Jack screwed his face up and Ianto felt his dick twitch, "Yummy. Yes."

Ianto couldn't agree more.


	14. Chapter 14

14 Mothering Actions

Owen's cry of alarm had Ianto running.

It had been another normal day and he hadn't expected any problems so the high pitched squeal was both unexpected and galvanizing.

Ianto vaulted over the handrail into the bay to find Owen struggling with the Dermex he had been about to autopsy from a Unit drop off earlier in the day.

Ianto acted without a second thought, throwing himself between Owen and a huge creature that was like a large blue gorilla, taking a severe blow to his chest and as he cried out his arm reacted to the danger by swinging and delivering a blow to its huge jaws.

Then Jack was there, shouting and distracting it, giving Ianto time to check Owen and the sight of blood on his face enraged Ianto. Ianto roared with anger as he stepped between Jack and hit the creature again, reaching for its scruff and shaking it like a mother would an errant child.

"NO!" he roared as he did so and the creature yelped then started to wail.

"Ianto, let it go" Jack roared and Ianto immediately complied.

The creature scuttled into a corner and whimpered as it balled itself up with woe.

"Owen? You OK?" Jack asked and Owen nodded as he shakily wiped his face.

"Just a bloody nose, nothing broken." Owen assured them ,"Shit T-Boy, you went Mad Mama on his arse!"

"Exactly!" Jack said proudly, "That is exactly how their mothers subdue them!"

"Really?" Ianto and Owen asked, then Ianto frowned, "I must have read the report somewhere."

"Well, bloody Unit cocked up yet again!" Owen huffed, then started to laugh, "They are gonna be so pissed when they find out we got a live one!"

"Yeah" Jack grinned, "Ianto, wanna find a cell for our guest?"

Ianto seemed to hesitate and Jack now knew that weird movement was him processing, then Ianto turned to face the ape creature, "Come!"

The creature squeaked and shuffled over offering a hand and Ianto took it, calmly walking it through the hub like a naughty child being taken to the naughty chair.

Everyone followed quietly with growing awe as he entered a cell and told it to sit.

He then crouched so head level and reached out to rub it's head, "Good boy."

The creature perked up, looking at him with delight and making little soft barks that had Ianto crooning some more.

"Aw, he's not so scary" Owen gushed from the doorway, "He was just scared, Right?"

"No, actually he was preparing to mate with you" Ianto said while still rubbing the creature's head, "You stink of Gwen and she's ovulating."

Owen felt the blood drain from his face and everyone started to laugh, then Gwen's brain caught up and she blushed as well.

Ianto pulled out a handkerchief and offered it to the creature who took it and settled on the bed, holding it like a cuddly.

"Right!" Ianto shot out of the cell an engaged the lock, "We need to find that a ride home, or it will go a little bit nuts with its need to procreate. Adolescents can be the worst."

"It was really …" Owen rocked his hips back and forth, making Jack giggle.

"Yes. You are smaller than me and Jack so it saw you as female." Ianto shrugged and Owen scowled.

"Alternatively, it saw you as quite attractive" Ianto threw over his shoulder as he wandered off and Owen perked up, preening as he went to clean up the messy bay.

Jack withheld the information that their females were hideous and went to find Ianto.

In the staff changing room, he found Ianto gingerly peeling back his shirt to reveal a nasty bruise and Jack cursed softly, the humor long forgotten as he rushed to assess the damage.

"Assessment?" Jack asked.

"Three broken, two more bruised" Ianto staid automatically, "they will heal by morning but it hurts like a bitch now."

Jack pouted and then to Ianto's immense shock he leaned in and started to kiss each bruised rib, his lips velvety smooth.

Ianto sighed and let his head fall back against the locker, enjoying the tenderness of the moment.

"Jack, I was … Christ can ya get a bloody … shit" Owen was pushing Jack out of the way, the lean shirt he was getting to replace the bloody one forgotten as he started to poke and prod Ianto's chest.

"Ow! Shit!" Ianto writhed, "Stop torturing me ya little bugger!"

"Broken" Owen growled, "Will have to scan to …"

"Nanites" Ianto deadpanned, "Healed by morning."

"Yes" Jack jumped in, "So I suggest rest. Go have a lie down and a little recharge, you know this will take some energy to do."

"Yes sir" Ianto smiled and moved off.

"Don't tell the girls he was hurt" Jack said softly as the two men started in the other direction.

"Why?" Owen asked.

"He hates fuss and Gwen is still smarting over the robot thing" Jack replied, "Also, we don't want them to dislike our new pet now, do we?"

Owen nodded and perked up as he started considering the creature.

As Jack had hoped, he let Ianto's injuries slide.

Jack hoped Ianto would be recovered enough for something to eat later, maybe a hot bah would help.

Poor lamb.


	15. Chapter 15

15

Jack was humming as he laid out the food and Ianto shuffled over to join him on the sofa.

He had pulled the robe around him and slipped on a pair of old slippers, looking so at home that Jack felt a stirring in his gut.

He wasn't a prisoner.

Right?

Jack hoped he didn't feel like he was shut away down here, then Ianto glanced up as he sighed and Jack remembered he could hear him, sending an apology for thinking too much.

Ianto sent back a warm loving wash of emotion to let Jack know he wasn't feeling the least bit trapped, certainly not by him.

They took a moment to centre and clear their minds, then Jack cleared his throat as he didn't want Ianto to struggle or make an effort.

Talking out loud was easiest for both of them until he and Ianto were fully connected telepathically.

"I was going to bring it to you" Jack pouted and Ianto smiled softly.

"You know I hate food in the bed" he said softly, reaching out to pat Jack's leg.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing" Ianto replied settling back and accepting his plate in his lap.

"I know you, something is bothering you, you have that squinty look" Jack said, making a squinty face and Ianto laughed.

"I hope I don't look like that, it looks like you are constipated." Ianto chortled.

"Come on" Jack leaned back, "You know you can tell me anything."

Ianto sighed and rubbed his neck nervously, then decided to go for it.

"I hadn't read it in a file" he said slowly, "Mainframe told me."

Jack sat looking at him long and hard.

"You mean you accessed it?"

"NO. She told me" Ianto replied, "I issued a request for information and she replied. Like … a search engine."

"No shit" Jack said with wonder.

"No shit, sir" Ianto deadpanned back and Jack smiled.

"And you thought I might get a bit weirded out? See a threat?" Jack asked as he gently took Ianto's hand and squeezed.

"I ... I don't know." Ianto frowned, "It kind of startled me, and then … I don't know. She didn't feel like Lisa or sound like her. It was more … loving somehow."

"Well, she is sentient" Jack confided, "She is not all earth components and I did butcher some main drives from spaceships to help her grow along with technology. I guess AI might have been installed in there without my realizing, I was a little rushed with some of her repairs."

"Really? Maybe I should take a look, I may be able to tweak her, especially if she can tell me what she requires" Ianto offered and Jack nodded.

"I'd not thought of that." He admitted, "Good idea."

"So, it's OK?" Ianto asked and Jack sighed as he felt the twitching hand in his own, Ianto's fear.

"I will never hurt you" Jack began his mantra, "I will always listen and try to understand. I will never reject you."

"Sorry" Ianto whispered then a small sob escaped, "I was scared."

"Of course you were" Jack crooned, taking him into his arms and kissing him lovingly, "It's weird. But it's OK. We'll get through this, we will assimilate. Right?"

Ianto sighed and laid his head on Jack's shoulder as he felt his warmth against him and hoped this was so, hoped Jack was always going to try to understand.

He knew he needed him in so many ways.

Discovering how much he wanted him as well, a surprise to be sure.

But a nice one.


	16. Chapter 16

16

Jack was searching for Ianto.

He hadn't expected to find him here and he settled on a box to watch as Ianto floated past, swimming down to scratch the back of the large water beast in the tank.

They had found it was a companionable creature and had been trying to remember to visit it, realizing it pined when left alone too long and now Jack was watching his own water baby as Ianto gracefully moved around the huge creature with ease.

Then Ianto saw him and swam to the glass, waving and motioning to one corner, Jack rising to greet him.

Ianto broke the water and surged up, kissing Jack before slipping back into the water and Jack laughed.

"How is our guest?"

"Bored" Ianto sighed, "I'm thinking about something to stimulate her. Might talk to Owen, give him something to do. Some toys or something."

"Yes, we should get him some, but what about our guest?" Jack chortled and Ianto threw his head back as he laughed, pleasing Jack no end.

"Is it warm?"

"The water? Yee Sir, like a huge bath" Ianto smiled, "The filtering system is working perfectly, I'm so pleased with it. Herbu just needs stimulation."

"Herbu."

"I don't think we can pronounce it but she seemed to find that one acceptable" Ianto canted his head, "She speaks Galactic Standard you know."

Jack watched a large head breast the water as she approached and he started to speak to her, watching the delight as she recognized the language and responded.

Jack left to get swimming trunks on, then returned and slid in with a soft groan.

Ianto suddenly had him plastered against the side of the tank, kissing him hungrily, then swimming away with a cheeky grin.

"Minx" Jack hissed following as Ianto disappeared under the water.

Jack paused and started to count in his head.

Then he realized Ianto was not coming up and he watched with awe as Ianto swam about, seemingly unaware that he had passed the five minute mark.

When he finally surfaced it was eight minutes and he was not out of breath.

"Ianto, hon. That was quite a trick" Jack said softly and Ianto's look of confusion told him he hadn't registered it.

"Ianto, you were under water for eight minutes, were you breathing?" Jack asked and Ianto looked down at the water with surprise.

"I don't know" he said with wide eyes, "I didn't realize. I just …. Didn't breathe."

"Wow" Jack said softly, "Are you OK with that?"

"I guess" Ianto frowned, his worry evident as he swam to the edge and climbed out.

Jack cursed as he knew Ianto was about to obsess about it and he followed, calling out a farewell to the creature who was now starting to doze after her fun.

He found Ianto standing in the dressing room, staring at the wall and he was about to speak when he noticed Ianto's eyes were flicking back and forth in rapid succession.

 _He was talking to Mainframe._

Jack waited and eventually Ianto made a soft grunting sound and canted his head, reaching up to rub his face. He then turned and looked at Jack.

"Where did you come from" he asked.

"Boeshane" Jack answered, "A little colony planet in the 51st Century."

Ianto blinked and then laughed softly, a musical sound that filled Jack with warmth.

Jack rose and held out his arms, pleased when Ianto immediately stepped into the embrace.

"What did she have to say?" Jack asked softly.

"My body can adjust to my surroundings" Ianto answered, "She told me not to panic. I'm not growing gills."

Jack snorted and kissed Ianto's forehead.

"I think she had a smart mouth" Ianto huffed, gaining a soft laugh from Jack.

"Is your watery friend OK?" Jack asked as they dressed and moved up through the levels.

"Bored. Also, she seems to have a rash, she brushed against something or maybe it was from the straps used to move her into the tank" Ianto frowned.

"Does it hurt her?" Jack asked, opening a door for Ianto.

"No, but it does look like it's larger than yesterday. I might be obsessing because she is so … so …"

"Big?"

"Fragile Cariad" Ianto snorted and Jack grinned at the term of endearment, pulling Ianto in to a quick kiss before releasing him to enter the main hub.

"If that breaks anything you will be on decaf" Ianto said softly as he moved past Owen and the ball he was bouncing off the wall stopped it's movement and was placed on the desk.

"You both have wet hair!" he accused, "Are you two having shower sex this time of day?"

"Swimming with the creature" Jack answered, "She's bored."

"Yes!" Ianto swung to look at Owen, "That's what I was going to talk to you about! Thank you Cariad. Owen! She needs stimulation. Toys or something. Some beach blow uppy things? Something that sinks? Stuff!"

Owen was already making notes his head nodding and he frowned, "What does a TV look like on water? Can she watch TV if we put a screen to the glass?"

"Oh! Brilliant suggestion!" Ianto beamed, "We need to test that theory. Triple Mocha for you young man!"

Ianto stalked off to get the treat as Owen preened happily.

Jack could have kissed him for pleasing Ianto like that.

Oh my god.

Was he in love?


	17. Chapter 17

17

Ianto was plugging in for the night and he settled back in the bedding as Jack padded in from the bathroom.

"That's my robe" he pointed out and Jack looked down with surprise.

"So?"

"Well. It's mine" Ianto frowned softly, showing confusion.

"Does it matter?" Jack snorted, drawing back the covers.

"It's just … its been my robe for a few years, I'm fond of … used to it" Ianto shrugged, making out it didn't matter as he closed his eyes.

Jack sat and frowned, turning to face him, "What are we?"

Ianto opened his eyes and looked at Jack with annoyance, "Tired?"

"No. We are a couple, right?" Jack pushed, "Gods, I hate that word. Couple."

"Me too" Ianto snarled, "It makes you all shivery like that, like you caught some exotic disease. Just forget about it."

Jack realized he had hurt Ianto's feeling and slid over to place a hand on his stomach, "Hey."

Ianto didn't answer.

"Ianto?" Jack pushed at him, angry that he had obviously turned himself off for the night.

With a huff of annoyance Jack rose from the bed and stormed off, determined to spend the night in the bunker if Ianto was going to be childish.

He stomped up to the hub and found a rift spike, going with Owen for the ride.

"Thought you and Ianto would be too busy" Owen said as he swung the SUV around a corner too tightly and mounted the curb.

"We had a disagreement" Jack muttered as he finished buttoning up his shirt, used to quick changes.

"About?"

"Whether or not we are a couple" Jack snorted. "He got all weirded out because I was wearing his robe."

"Yeah, well I guess he's not that used to sharing" Owen replied as he ran a light. "Oops."

"It's not like I was bloody wiping my nose on it" Jack frowned.

"Look, he spent most of his life being ignored and unloved, then he becomes a test subject. I'm guessing that the odd bit of slap-n-tickle aside, he's not been in a real relationship. Not like he's used to someone else in his personal space." Owen reasoned, "You are probably pushing his personal boundaries. He's panicked that he is being controlled again, only now he belongs to you instead of her."

Jack turned to look at him with a soft grunt of annoyance.

"Think about it" Owen said as they came to a stop, "You tell him when to order lunch, what to order. You comment on what you want him to wear, you belittle anything he does that you don't like and he doesn't do it again. He isn't a suit. He used to wear jeans and a jacket after work, often left in street clothes. He only wears suits now. He is looking to you as his handler. His keeper. Maybe he is rebelling a bit because he's feeling corralled?"

Jack leaned back and frowned into the dark, then yelped as a large beast lumbered past.

"Fuck!" Owen leaned forward in the seat to watch it start to munch on a tree.

"Bugger" Jack sighed, "They are on the Hit List."

"Awwww" Owen sighed, the Hit List being the list of known creatures that were to be exterminated on sight. But Jack hated that word so they always said euthanased instead. "Why?"

"They look sweet but they don't stop at eating plants. Their urine is toxic and one nice big pee session could kill a square mile of … well everything." Jack said as he walked around to get Bertha, the large canon gun. "No space freighter will take one."

Owen watched the creature blow up and then turned to Jack, "Nice. Looks like confetti."

"Rain will wash it away" Jack shrugged.

"Yeah, would be nice if a rainy night could solve everything, eh?" Owen smiled, then headed for the SUV, "Bags I'm driving again!"

Jack replaced the gun and climbed into the passenger seat, considering things all the way back to the hub.

Once they got inside he helped Owen type out the report and then walked back down to where Ianto lay sleeping.

He changed out of his clothes and climbed back into the bed, finding Ianto's soft warmth settling.

He was asleep within minutes.

His last conscious thought was to tell Ianto they were a couple as in partners.

 _With you until the end._

Like Captain America and Bucky.

Right?

Jack smiled in his sleep as an image of Ianto striding across the Plass dressed like the Winter Soldier came to mind … sexy.

Definitely gonna be a keeper.

Ianto rolled as he unplugged, hugging Jack to him and the cyberarm held him close.

Not letting go for the rest of the night.

They made a handsome couple.


	18. Chapter 18

18

Ianto was in a strange mood as he walked around the hub, frowning and trying to work out what was giving him the bad feeling.

"Jack?"

"Hmm?" Jack looked up from the report he was reading and smiled at him, closing it and throwing it down as he patted the spot next to him on the sofa.

"I have a weird feeling that I've missed something" Ianto huffed, "Or forgotten some …"

Ianto went silent as his eyes flickered in that 'mainframe' way.

"It's Tosh's birthday tomorrow" he gasped with horror, "Oh! I've not sorted a cake or anything."

"We don't usually celebrate birthdays" Jack said with surprise.

"Why not?" Ianto canted his head, "Certainly each one is an achievement in this job."

Jack winced and Ianto's brain caught up with the words.

"Oh god, sorry Jack. That was … all those you have watched come and go. Of course you don't want to remember their birthdays, bad enough you have to recall their death days. If Canary Warf taught me anything, it's that you never forget that day" Ianto sighed sadly.

"No." Jack said firmly, "you're right. It's morose to only have a memorial day. We should celebrate their life as well. You go sort it, lots of color and happiness. You know what our little blossom likes."

Ianto leaned over and impulsively kissed him, then shot off as Jack laughed softly.

He paused as he talked to mainframe again, knowing what would mean the most to Tosh and then he prepared like it was a military exercise.

Gwen and Owen were happy to have a party and Ianto was set to show Tosh just how much he appreciated her friendship.

It started at seven in the morning, knocking politely until she answered and then hurrying into her apartment and over to her widescreen TV.

He plugged in the USB which was really a portable connector for Mainframe and soon Tosh was gaping as her TV became a monitor.

Then a picture appeared and she clapped her hands over her mouth as her mother became visible, blinking at the camera.

She could see her daughter and she cried out with delight as Tosh wept.

Ianto sorted her clothes for the day and then a light breakfast as she dressed, still weeping with delight at the half hour long talk with her beloved mother.

"I can't believe Jack allowed that" she said happily.

Ianto hummed and held back the urge to say that Jack had no idea.

They got to the hub and she looked delighted at the balloons shaped like orchids and they matched the large display of orchids on her desk.

She pulled out the card and gasped as she recognized Owens scribble.

She swung to look at him.

"Well, it's ya birthday" he shrugged as he looked around nervously.

Then Gwen gifted her a lovely satchel for her laptop that she loved.

Purple.

Jack gave her an antique perfume bottle that was also a pretty purple that she knew she would use lovingly.

Ianto gave her some watercolors and traditional Japanese brushes.

God knows where he got them.

The cake was a pig and she roared with laughter as everyone else looked confused about it.

Suddenly Owen gasped, "Space pig!"

Ianto leaned back as the two laughed and slapped at each other, never once wondering how Ianto knew the secret.

The cake was delicious and everyone cheered as the pizza came out to join it, homemade and three of Tosh's favorites so she was forced to eat a slice of each as she giggled.

Ianto rose to get another round of coffee and Tosh reached for Jack's hand, "The video conference call with my mother, Jack I can never repay you for that. It was so …so … personal. Of all the things you have done for me, to break your non-contact rule and let he speak with her … thank you. I told her I was happy here and I am. There was no need to lie. I love you."

She then turned to talk to Gwen and Jack blinked with confusion, watching Ianto approach with a tray of drinks and a soft smile.

"Creamer" he said, returning to the kitchen and Jack rose to follow.

"Ianto?"

"Yes sir?" Ianto turned to look at him with an open smile and Jack felt his heart flop in his chest.

"Toshiko told me about the talk with her mother" he said and Ianto paled, stepping away from him with open fear.

"It's OK" Jack rushed to add, kicking himself for sounding so serious, "It was a lovely idea and I am glad you did it. I know you thought long and hard about it, made sure it was a secure link and that Tosh adhered to the rules of Torchwood Secrecy Act."

Ianto nodded eagerly, stepping forward, "If my mother were still alive, I would want to hear her voice on the day she birthed me. I mourn her so often. Toshiko should not mourn until she must. Not in a job where life is so precious."

"I agree" Jack smiled, pulling Ianto in for a gently kiss, "Clever man."

Ianto sighed softly as he leaned into the clutch, ignoring the 'no affection at work' rule.

It was a special day after all.


	19. Chapter 19

19

Unit had arrived without warning and Ianto was calmly pouring out the teas as Jack settled in his chair and reached out, slapping his butt before lifting his cup to his lips.

Ianto froze.

"That will be all" Jack said as he turned to the General and Ianto blinked as he looked at Owen.

Owen's face showed his open surprise at what had just happened so Ianto straightened up and looked down at Jack with a silent reprimand.

Jack then reached across and brushed his fingertips over the man's hand as Ianto took a sharp intake of breath, then calmly left the room.

As he pulled the door shut he looked back and saw the General place a hand over Jack's in such a familiar way that his blood boiled.

He stalked down to the main hub where Tosh was up to something of her own, furtively checking something on a small screen while her main ones showed a test was underway.

Ianto folded onto the sofa and asked mainframe to explain.

He was informed that she was busy and to query again later.

Christ.

Even the bloody computer was too busy.

Ianto looked up in time so see Jack's arm slide across the man's shoulder and own to rest against the small of the General's back.

So familiar.

The soft kiss to the cheek not as much of a surprise as he thought it should have been.

He stormed down to the lower levels and threw himself onto his bed and to his surprise he found that his face was wet.

He was crying.

.

.

.

.

Jack smiled as the General walked out and then swung to Tosh, "Well? Is it working?"

"Give them a chance to get topside Jack!" she snorted, her fingers dancing as she finished her real work.

The screens flickers and changed as the fake program finished and she grinned as she looked up at him, "Yes. The tracker is in place."

"So, how long before he washes his hands I wonder" Jack muttered as he watched the blip on the screen move.

"If not within the next ten minutes, it will dry and stay until we send the signal to peel off" Tosh said with glee.

"I will find those hidden archives if it's the last thing I do" Jack said with glee.

"Jack?" Owen asked as he watched Gwen adjust her top.

"Yes Owen?"

"This little plan of yours … you did talk to Ianto about it, yeah?" Owen asked calmly, "I mean, the whole, skin to skin transferable tracking device was something Suzie and Tosh worked on before the Tea Boy arrived. You did explain the need for some flirting and the way you embarrassed him, right?"

Jack paled as it occurred to him that Ianto wasn't there and he looked around with worry.

"He headed down" Owen sighed, "He looked pretty pissed at you."

"Shit"

Jack searched the cells, archives and then finally their room.

"Ianto?" he called out, seeing that the bed was messed up.

Definitely not a normal Ianto bed, he must have been on it since it had been made with his military precision tht morning.

He checked the bathroom and then turned to find the handle on the closet door was misshapen as if crushed by a great force.

Shit.

He pulled open the closet.

What he found broke his heart.

Ianto was standing in a corner at the back of the closet behind some coats.

He was dressed in his best suit, an impeccable Windsor knot in place.

Oxfords buffed to perfection.

He was powered down.

His cheeks were still wet.

Fuck.

Jack tried to life him and found he couldn't so he called Owen down and he echoed Jack.

"Fuck!"

They managed to get the stiff body onto the bed and Jack reached for the recharger, aiming for his recharge port.

Nothing happened.

Jack looked at Owen with horror as it dawned on them both that Ianto was not just in a power shut down.

He had turned himself off.


	20. Chapter 20

20

'It's not my fault!" Jack wailed as Gwen slapped the back of his head for the third time in passing, her anger making her pace.

"It doesn't matter now" Owen said as he caught Gwen and made her sit, "The important thing now is to figure out how to turn him back on!"

"I don't know that either" Jack sobbed his head dropping onto his arms as he broke down.

"Christ, that doesn't help either!" Owen groused, turning to Tosh, "Tosh. Come on, you must have something in mind?"

"Well, if he was powered down we might try to use to shock him out of it but this is a complete shutdown. There is to spark to fan" she sighed.

Owen sat and leaned forward in his seat, still looking at her expectantly and she sighed.

"There is one thing I could try" she finally admitted, "I would rather not, but I think … it might work. I just don't know how he will react."

"Do it!" Jack said.

"You don't even know what I …"

"Do it!" Jack rose, "Now!"

Tosh turned to her computer and started to work, stopping to open a second screen and Mainframe worked with her to manually start up Ianto.

.

.

.

Pending…..

.

.

.

.

.

Emergency Start-up initiated …

.

.

.

.

Infiltration detected ….

.

.

.

.

Initiate evasive action…

.

.

.

Firewall Three had fallen, initiate protocol 5 ….

.

.

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Mainframe recognized…

.

.

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.

Initiate handshake with Mainframe ….

.

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.

Mainframe initiating full power-up…

.

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Mainframe tracking…REBOOT…

.

.

.

.

Ianto's eyes flew open as he lunged into the air and Jack struggled to hold him to the bed as he shouted at Tosh to do something.

Finally Ianto relaxed and Tosh fell back with exhaustion.

It was done.

Ianto blinked at Jack who was grinning down at him as he plugged the charger in with shaking hands, "Ianto, you and I need to talk about some stuff. We need to communicate more, I get that. This was my fault but you can't run away, not like that. Please, don't leave me again."

Ianto blinked again, moving robotically as he slid to sit primly on the edge of the bed.

"How may I serve?" he asked in a level tone, blinking at the team as his head slowly swiveled.

"Tosh?" Jack looked over at her with confusion.

She had turned off the screens and turned to face Jack with a sift sigh, "I tried to tell you. I woke him up, I didn't bring him back."

"Explain" Jack said calmly.

"Ianto is still in there, refusing to come out." Tosh explained, "This is a base line, this is Ianto's outer self. The Ianto the Cyber Tech could control. The real Ianto, the laughing, cheeky man we have recently met is still angry and hurt. He is still hiding."

"So … what can we do?" Jack wailed.

"We can endure" she replied.

"So, if we give him time to process, to forgive, he'll come back?" Gwen asked.

"Maybe" she said slowly, "Jack, he's incredibly upset."

"He can hear me?"

"Yes. It's like … he's watching through a one way mirror. You see this. He see's you. He hears you. He's just choosing to ignore you right now."

"So I just have to prove to him that I'm sorry, that I'm willing to make this better" Jack said with renewed determination.

Tosh sighed as she hoped Ianto was ready for this, glancing at the black screen she had been talking to him on.

He was well past pissed at Jack.

He was inconsolable.


	21. Chapter 21

21

"So you see, I had to get close so he would let me stroke his hand. It was the only way to plant the tracker" Jack was explaining yet again as he knotted the tie on his new toy. "Red. My favorite."

"How may I serve?"

"A coffee? I would love one" Jack smiled, kissing a soft cheek and Ianto turned to comply, Jack left puckering at air.

Ianto moved through the hub and Gwen looked up, "Are you making coffee pet?"

Ianto stopped and swiveled to stare at her, "May I serve by making you a coffee Gwen?"

"Yes please" she said softly.

"Tosh" he stopped at her workstation, "May I serve?"

"Yes thank you" she sighed, "I'll come out to get it."

"Yes please" came Owen's yell from the med-bay.

Ianto swiveled once more, "I shall serve."

Tosh stood watching the angry, robotic movements as Ianto slammed his beloved coffee machine around.

"How long are you going to keep this up?" she whispered, "He's going to catch on that you're just doing it. It's been three days and I know this must be wearing thin."

"My body, my choice" Ianto snarled as he leaned over to place her cup down, glaring into her eyes.

"I'm sorry" she answered, "He was beside himself. He was on the verge of a compete meltdown."

"Still, I knew what I was doing. I was not going to let myself die. God, if …."

He suddenly straightened up and smiled politely, "How may I serve you further?"

Owen was in the doorway, "Want my coffee."

"Of course" Ianto politely handed it over and then moved to get the tray for Jack's.

"Not one for you?" Owen asked.

"It is not required" Ianto answered, "I am at full power."

"So … you don't have to eat?"

Ianto frowned and then let his face smooth before turning to face Owen, "I will eat a sufficient amount to sustain the vessel."

"Fuck you sound so cold" Owen huffed, "What about enjoyment? I would hate to be unable to eat or drink. Just … exist."

"It is my purpose" Ianto answered smoothly, "I serve."

Ianto carried up the tray and Jack rose to help him, as if he couldn't carry it the final few feet to the desk.

"I want a nice evening; I want us to connect, to talk. I want to show you how much I love you" Jack was gushing, "I have it all worked out."

Ianto stood and blinked slowly, his hands clasped together as he stared at Jack silently.

"Tonight, I will woo you Mr. Jones, you wait and see." Jack was exuberant in his glee as he decided he had figured it out.

Ianto fought to keep his expression neutral as the urge to glare was almost overwhelming.

"Yes sir" he managed to purr, "I live to serve."

Jack clapped his hands together as Ianto bowed and stalked out, heading down to the lower levels and into the secure archives, where he knew the stacks were dense.

Certain he was unseen and unheard, he screamed with rage.

Then he wept.

Then he straightened his clothing and stared at his reflection in the computer screen.

He resumed his butlering with robotic movements and a smoldering anger that Jack could not penetrate.

Finally he could hold off no longer and he walked down to their room, finding the meal set out and Jack waiting with a nervous glance at his watch, "Two minutes late."

"Sorry Sir" Ianto said automatically as he sat and waited.

The table had a fresh cloth, the plates and cutlery laid out and a nice floral arrangement between them. Napkins, cloth if you please, folded into frogs.

Jack lifted the plate covers and Ianto looked down, astounded to see McDonalds happy meals.

He blinked.

"Don't know what the toy is, I wonder if we got the same" Jack was hunting in his box and Ianto looked up at him, blinking again.

A snort.

A smile.

Small at first then it grew as Ianto looked at Jack holding up a pink My Little Pony with delight.

Ianto threw his head back and roared with laughter, giving the game away as he forgave the stupid buffoon.

Jack gave an audible sigh of relief as he finally got something right.

"I love you Ianto" he said softly, "Please forgive me. I've lived too long on my own and need to learn how to share myself again. I should have told you, explained, let you in. I didn't mean to close you out."

Ianto nodded and pushed his box at Jack, watching as Jack happily dug in.

A tiny spaceship with a Loony Toon character inside.

Jack roared with mirth and demanded a trade.

Ianto accepted the tiny pink pony and giggled some more, totally smitten.


	22. Chapter 22

22

Ianto stood at the front counter repeating the order for the third time.

He could hear Owen out in the SUV, loudly arguing with Gwen as they played Battleship with their PDAs.

He made a mental note to softly chastise Tosh for loading that game, they were far too competitive and childish to ever concede defeat.

Jack was still stuck on a conference call he didn't really want to be a part of back at the hub and he was stuck babysitting these two idiots as Tosh snuck out to some tech convention on down town.

Secretly, Ianto would have liked to have gone as well but hadn't mentioned it to Jack, fearing the image in Jack's mind of his Cyber self surrounded by futuristic tech would make him go all prison guard on him and it was so nice to be topside.

Jack hadn't even blinked, just tossed the keys.

To be out in the open, not watched or controlled was so wonderful that Ianto had to hold himself back from running.

He used to run.

Loves running.

He imagined the streets he grew up on, each corner, and each store. God, he would love to get some track pants on and run for an hour, like a mad dog.

He accepted the parcels of food and walked back out, sighing as he called out, "Owen! Get your head back in the window, it is starting to rain!"

Owen's head disappeared and the driver's door swung open as Owen saw that Ianto's hands were full.

Ianto handed him the parcels and then climbed in without bothering to ask who won, Gwen's pout told him already.

They drove sedately back towards the hub, Owen ripping the corner of a parcel and starting to eat.

"We are almost home" Ianto scolded softly and Owen whined.

"I'm bloody hungry!" Owen wailed and then yelped as Ianto slammed the brakes on.

"Shit! Hold on!" Ianto shouted as he struggled with the wheel, the SUV fishtailing across the ice and he knew they were going to hit one of the other vehicles already in the ditch.

Damn Owen and his favorite fish n chop shop in a different suburb.

He could have just walked across the Plass and be home already, eating on the sofa with Jack's thigh pushing quietly against his.

Ianto snarled as he slammed his arm across Owen's chest, pinning him to the seat as they hit, the sound of crunching metal drowning out Gwen's scream of fear.

"Down!" Ianto yelled as he turned in the seat, his arms now reaching out to grab Gwen and yank her between the front seats with ease, the truck hitting them from behind releasing its load of scaffolding which flew through the back windows to pierce through the rear seats.

Gwen lay panting in Ianto's lap, his arms still hugging her as he tried to calm his heartbeat.

"Are you OK?" Ianto asked as Owen shakily reached out to check Gwen over.

The SUV rocked as another vehicle joined the mess and Ianto was now looking around as he listened to the noises of the accident.

"There are people hurt" Ianto said with growing horror, "Oh God, Owen. There are people trapped in this and more hitting us."

"Right, we gotta get out" Owen said as he climbed to his knees and looked at Ianto expectantly.

Ianto calmly slammed his arm through the windscreen, then proceeded to rip it apart, allowing them an exit route.

"Well done" Owen huffed, "You didn't hurt yourself?"

"No" Ianto showed him the hand with two small abrasions to the knuckles.

They clambered out onto the hood and Ianto swore, holding Gwen as a bus's horn sounded.

"Fuck!" Owen spluttered as he got his phone out and pushed the emergency beacon.

Ianto was off the vehicle and running, his eyes scanning automatically and he stopped at a blue car, ripping off the back driver's side door and reaching into extract a baby seat as the mother moaned in the driver's seat.

He placed the baby seat on the hood and then got out the mother, Gwen scooping up the baby as they all ran to the pavement.

Ianto removed his coat, laying it on the snow and then he gently placed the woman on the wool, pulling it around her and then rising to go back.

By the time Jack arrived Ianto had eight adults and two children safe, another car skidding past Jack as he ran for them.

"Are you OK?" he yelled and Gwen looked up, nodding as she struggled to comfort a distraught child.

Ianto arrived and dumped the small dog in the boy's lap, turning to return to the crash site as the child stopped crying and hugged his furry friend.

Jack helped Ianto get another victim to safety as the sirens started to fill the air.

"The SUV is a write-off" Ianto said softly, "And so are the fish n chips."

"Never mind" Jack soothed as he watched emergency crew work.

He was looking at the carnage not due to the accidents, but the aftermath.

Ianto had peeled some car roofs back like sardine tins to get to the occupants and Jack had a suspicion that they had held children.

Jack looked over in time to see Gwen put her arms around Ianto, gaining a rare hug.

A truck had a palm print in the front grill, showing that the cyber arm had stopped its slide into someone else.

That powerful, vicious hand was gently stroking her hair as he spoke quietly to her.

Calming and protecting.

Jack was so proud of his handsome man, who had acted instinctively to protect not only himself but the team members in his care.

 _Someone was getting a massage to die for tonight._

As if hearing, Ianto looked over at him and smiled softly as Jack remembered their bond, grinning sheepishly at the raised eyebrow.

 _Well, OK so I am thinking naughty thoughts, but it did start as just a backrub._

 _Honest my love._


	23. Chapter 23

23

Ianto was still nervy, shivering with the aftershocks of his over-exertions.

Jack led him down to their room and ran him a bath, leaving him soaking in it to lay some towels over the bedding.

By the time Ianto got out of the bath Jack had the massage oils laid out and was waiting on the bed, a soft smile as he patted the soft towels.

"Relax." He brushed his fingertips down Ianto's bare arm, deliberately touching the port and moving on.

Ianto forced himself to do as Jack said, forced his shoulders down and his spine to curve against the fingertips.

Jack's warm breath washed over Ianto's bare shoulder, stubble scraped against skin as his head drifted lower, and Ianto sighed as his lips closed at the collar bone.

Ianto's fingers dug into the bed while his dick swelled and ached.

Jack was gentle, almost reverent as he moved from one shoulder to the other, as his lips trailed down the hollow between the blade, across the dips and plains the small of his back, followed by the drizzling oil.

His fingers gently pushed Ianto's legs apart and Ianto sighed, dying for him to touch, to lick. His head rolled back, then forward.

Ianto wanted to watch him, but all he could see over his shoulder was the thick, dark hair that covered the back of his head.

His hot, hungry scent mixed with the smell of sandalwood oil, making Ianto dizzy.

Jack's lips were whisper-soft on Ianto's skin, his tongue warm on a bare thigh.

Ianto's hips shifted as he sank lower in the bed, his legs spread wider, urging Jack to move higher, but he didn't; he couldn't.

Ianto wanted to roll over but Jack held him to the bed, and he wouldn't let him turn to face him.

Jack continued to caress his thighs with his tongue and mouth until Ianto thought he would drown in the sound of his own breathing.

Until Jack finally sat up and whispered in his ear, "Are you ready, Sweetie?"

Ianto nodded, part of him disappointed as he moved away, part of him fascinated by the way he moved so fluidly across the bed.

He unzipped his jeans, slid them down a little, and silently released his cock "Come on."

Ianto edged his way across the bed on all fours, ready to straddle his lap, when Jack stopped me with a firm hand on his hips. He scooted up the bed and pulled the pillows together, then made Ianto turn around to face the wall.

"That's better," he whispered as rough, calloused hands slid up Ianto's bare back.

Ianto grasped head board and squatted as Jack held his hips so that he slid Ianto's hungry arse over his cock with the same surprising gentleness he'd used while kissing his thighs.

Every time Ianto plunged downward on Jack's thick cock, his hands would grab and pinch Ianto's arse, sending hot shockwaves to Ianto's dick as it bounced between then, slapping Jack's stomach.

Or he'd slap Ianto's hips.

Or grab Ianto's waist tight and make him go real slow. It was as if he knew exactly how to push, and how to stave off the impending orgasm.

Jack's hands slid up Ianto's back again to grip his shoulders, pushing and pulling and setting a nice, slow pace.

"Sweetheart."

"Don't call me that."

"Sweetheart?" he asked with a rough chuckle.

Ianto's arse cheeks tightened his cock and he cried out.

Ianto wanted to come so badly.

"Not yet." Jack slapped Ianto's arse.

"Sweet." Ianto slid upward, then back down again, his sweat-slick hands slippery on the headboard.

"Heart," Jack finished, pulling Ianto against him and cupping his arse cheeks. He squeezed hard, and then let his hands trail up and down his back.

Jack's lips were at Ianto's neck and he whispered, "Do you know when you get to come?"

"Soon?" Ianto caught a whimper between his teeth. Barely.

Ianto's arse muscles spasmed again, tightening in anticipation as pre-cum slid about in Jack's stomach.

Ianto slid upward, so that just the head of his dick was inside of him, and Jack grasped his arse, holding him in place.

"I want you to shout so loud that the team can hear you."

"And see me?" Ianto added, his legs shaking in anticipation as he glanced up at the CCTV camera in the corner of the room.

"Yeah." Jack's tongue slid across Ianto's shoulder, followed by another scrape of stubble as he held him in place.

They waited like that, him holding Ianto up with one hand and caressing with the other, Ianto grabbing the headboard for dear life and trying to breathe and ignore the bite of something hard occasionally digging into his calf.

It seemed like half a lifetime, but it was probably only two or three more minutes before the sound of huffed laughter announced Ianto's stamina had found its second wind.

Jack's hand connected with Ianto's arse for a hard smack.

"Jack!" Ianto protested as shockwaves echoed through his dick and into his balls, but he knew what to do, knew what Jack wanted.

Ianto rode Jack's cock, pumping hard enough to make his balls hurt.

Jack smacked him again and Ianto cried out, and then asked for more.

Ianto got two more smacks before he came, moaning and crying and clutching the headboard as his arse pulsated around Jack's cock and cum shot onto Jack's chest.

Beneath Ianto he grunted, his grip on his waist tightening as he also climaxed.

Ianto finally collapsed against him, part of him wanting to burrow under Jack's skin and stay there forever.

What he didn't know was … he already had.


	24. Chapter 24

24

The two men entered the meeting room and Owen looked up from the papers he was shuffling, then glanced at Gwen.

Jack saw the warning there, missed by Ianto who was already reaching out to fill a glass with water.

Gwen looked at the hickey on Ianto's neck and opened her mouth.

"If anyone had something to say, please raise your hand" Owen said distractedly as he moved a piece of paper and slid it to the bottom of his pile.

Gwen raised her hand.

"Good. Good" Owen muttered, "Now place it over your fucking mouth!"

He rose and handed the papers to Jack, "Finished!"

"Thanks Owen" Jack smiled as he walked to his chair and sat, looking down the table.

"We have the roads clear and can confirm no fatalities" Tosh said as she smiled at Ianto and he sat next to her.

"The little one with the arm?" he asked softly.

"Broken I'm afraid" Tosh said to him, "But he will be fine."

"I still can't believe no one died in that mess" Owen joined in, "Well done Ianto."

"And you Owen" Ianto grinned, "You were so efficient, your bedside manner with the children was wonderful."

Owen puffed slightly and smiled as he shuffled more papers.

"And Gwen!" Ianto swung to look at her, "Even in those heels you were rocking it! You should have seen her Cariad, she was ordering those Heddlu around like a general!"

Jack watched her preen quietly and wondered what the remark was Owen had stopped, come to think of it, what had they been arguing about?

Jack looked at Ianto and had a moment of clarity.

It was Ianto.

Gwen had said something about Ianto the others didn't like.

He watched the way Tosh was patting his hand and Ianto's soft smile as he turned his hand over to clasp hers.

Jack leaned back, "Any chance of a coffee, sweets?"

Ianto rose and headed for the kitchen as Jack turned to Owen, "Spill! What's going on."

Silence.

Jack knew he could squirm it out of Tosh but he also knew Owen's version would be less polite.

"Gwen thinks Ianto is dangerous with the level of strength he displayed" Owen finally said.

"I see" Jack turned to Gwen, "And did it occur to you that he was almost totally spent? He had to recharge when normally he would have at least another twelve hours."

"You weren't there" Gwen leaned forward, "He was peeling the roof off a car like it was tin foil!"

"There was a child in that car!" Owen snapped, "If I could, I would pull the fucking moon from the sky if it meant a child's life!"

"That's not what I'm saying!" Gwen bristled and Ianto chose that moment to enter, keeping his face neutral but Jack knew the moment he looked at him that he had heard everything.

Damn.

"Here you go" he said politely, "I have some things to attend to in the archives."

"Ianto!" Jack said as Ianto turned to leave, "Please stay. Come on."

Ianto hesitated and looked uncomfortable, but he slid into his seat.

 _Shit. Jack thought, did I just control him? Sorry baby._

Ianto smiled softly to show no problem and Owen watched Jack's frown soften.

"I've worked here for four years" Owen said to the table, "I have never known you to be happy. Content, sure, but I have never seen you happy. It looks good on you."

Jack blinked and looked at Owen with surprise, then grinned.

"Yeah, I am happy." He agreed, "I really am."

Ianto blushed, his head ducking as he rubbed the back of his neck to show his discomfort with the attention.

"Now, back to business" Jack said, "Owen. Why are Unit still calling me for that bloody autopsy form last week?"

Owen squirmed and moved some more papers about.

"It was sent on Friday to Lt Fernish" Ianto said calmly, "I saw the data stream."

"I did?" Owen considered, "Hey! I did!"

"Thank you Ianto, would you please relay that to General Whatisface?" Jack said as he lifted his mug to take a sip.

"They have been sending requests for our personel files too, I think they are sniffing around looking for something" Tosh frowned, "I've deleted the CCTV footage of the crash but they have tried several times to access the deleted files."

Tosh stopped talking and raised her dainty cup, sipping the green tea. Owen took a big swig of his coffee and looked over at Gwen, giving Jack the reminder that there was something brewing within the team he hadn't sniffed out.

Gwen sipped hers silently, watching her Captain as he glowered back.

She really had to learn to keep her trap shut.

Rhys said so all the time.


	25. Chapter 25

25

Unit had insisted on the meeting and now they were there Ianto felt a strange foreboding.

"So, we would like to finish up with a few matters of housekeeping" the General said as he cleared his throat and Jack glanced at Owen as they both knew that this was what they were really here for, whatever they were about to ask.

"Of course" Jack smiled disarmingly as Ianto placed another cup of coffee down.

"Your personnel files" the General said and Ianto tried not to show interest as he settled into a chair.

"Beg your pardon?" Jack was honestly confused. "All staff are listed, cleared and fully qualified."

"Well, Ms Cooper is living with someone not listed" the man pointed out and Jack knew that was another bluff.

"Not listed because he is not cleared. He thinks we are a special ops section of the Heddlu" Jack smiled again as he waited, his mind swirling with possibilities and he wondered if Tosh was about to have a spot review.

"And you, Mr Jones" the Genera turned to face a surprised Ianto, "You do not have a listed address. It appears you never leave this place, except under supervision. If there a reason for this that we are not aware of?"

Jack was stunned.

"We have staff quarters here." Ianto smiled evenly, "As we can have hectic night shifts and such, as the head archivist it makes more sense for me to be available. A lot of the archives are not computerized yet so we still deal with an antiquated fling system."

"Staff quarters?" the General smiled, "Can I see them?"

"No" Ianto said flatly, "They're Jack's as well."

The silence was immense, like a heavy weight as he eyeballed the general calmly.

"I see" the General finally spoke, "I didn't think … er …"

"The staff physicals are not in the files provided Doctor Harper" the General looked over at Owen, "When were they last done?"

"When my Captain told me to and as they are medical files they are not included in a public file. They are classified higher than the ones provided." Owen replied.

"You will not be provided with those as it is none of you business but I will confirm that I am not pregnant at this time" Jack snapped.

As hoped, the General dropped it and the meeting ended but as Unit departed Jack was left with a sour taste in his mouth.

They were watching Ianto.

Jack and Owen agreed that they needed to up their security and Tosh said she was already on it.

Jack thought about it and then found Ianto in the tank room.

"Hey" he said softly as he settled to watch Ianto fold towels.

"Someone is feeling excited about the pick-up you scheduled" Ianto smiled softly as he hooked a finger at the tank.

"You aren't safe while they sniff around" Jack said and he watched Ianto's hands still their movement as he turned to look at him.

"What do you suggest?"

"The cabin" Jack sighed, "I can take you there and you will be off their radar. It doesn't exist, not on any paperwork near me. Registered to Penny Wisklon at the moment. All expenditure paid from a trust fund. You can settle there nicely until they loose interest."

"Pennywise the Clown?" Ianto raised his eyebrows, "Really sir, Stephen King?"

Jack grinned, "We all float down here."

Ianto snorted and then sighed, "Only me. All on my own?"

"Been thinking about that as well" Jack grinned, "Got a friend in the Heddlu, specialises in the Dog Squad. I've already spoken to him and apparently there is a dog up for retirement that needs a home. A pretty red setter called Lucy."

"A dog" Ianto said softly.

"Yeah. One trained to attack" Jack replied. "Friendly, and loving but with sharp teeth."

"So … when do I leave?" Ianto sighed.

"I will take you up there and stay overnight, settle you and then go do the bloody Conference Unit forced me into over the ditch." Jack frowned as he considered, "A week at most then I'm back and Unit will have either moved on or taken the hint that I am not going to share."

"I still don't understand why you have to fly all the way to the US for this bloody conference" Ianto huffed, "Bloody inconvenience."

"It is, but I get the feeling that Owen moving into my side of the bed might be one too" Jack joked.

"I feel … I feel like I'm being shipped off to prison or something" Ianto sighed.

"Hey, this place is nice. I love it. Besides it will be our second home so you can start moving stuff about and making those lists you love to make about things you want to change. We can get some stuff out of the lock-up and make it more your home too. Right?" Jack begged and Ianto knew he was trying to make it sound like an adventure, so he nodded and tried not to pout.

"I will miss you something fierce" he finally huffed.

"Me too but there is always phone sex, right?" Jack pulled him into a hug, "Anyway, maybe one day I will hand over the reins here to someone and retire. I always saw that place as my little hideaway. Having you there, will make all the difference."

"You mean that?" Ianto pulled back to regard him, "I mean. Me? Us?"

"Ianto, I want you forever baby" Jack grinned, "I love you."

Ianto knew he was blushing but he didn't care as he kissed Jack in the middle of the day, during work time.

This cabin was sounding better by the minute.

And a dog.

.

.

.

.

.

.So … are you all invested in this story?

Are you strapped in and ready for the ride?

Things are about to get bumpy and the real suspense is about to start.

Just remember …..

I did warn you.


	26. Chapter 26

26

Cabin … talk about understatement.

It was gorgeous.

Like the dog, it was love at first sight and as Lucy danced around in the lightly falling snow Ianto found himself falling in love with the place.

"The Generator is out back under a tarp in case of a power outage, fresh water well and plenty of fish in the lake if you feel like fishing" Jack was gushing, "Lots of books I never read and just look at the view!"

"Oh Jack!" Ianto cried as he looked around the cabin, seeing the carnage inside.

"Oh yeah, I collected a few things over the years" Jack grimaced, "Does need a wee bit of organizing I guess."

Ianto huffed as he poked at a pile.

"Some of those newspapers are special" Jack whined, "Don't burn them. Those for burning are in the cupboard by the fireplace. I will stack more wood in before I go."

Ianto looked around and was glad to see an attic space in the back half of the house, sure to be empty given Jack's mindset of dump and run.

He saw a lot of work in his near future and again saw that Jack was helping to keep him busy as he adjusted to this brave new world.

"I wish you didn't have to go" he sighed.

"They saw us go, they need to see us return within the day" Owen spoke from the doorway, "With you hiding in the back of the vehicle, they will only be watching for Jack and me."

"I know" Ianto snapped, then grimaced, "Sorry. I know this is not ideal for any of us. Bloody Unit."

"You have the laptop that connects straight to mainframe and Tosh is there at your fingertips too. The portable charger will keep you going" Jack kissed his cheek, "Sorry baby. A week, ten days at most, yeah?"

Ianto huffed and pulled away with growing annoyance as Jack felt it through the bond.

Fear.

"Hey!" Jack pulled him around to face him, "I am coming back! I promise!"

Ianto nodded and looked away, still swallowing back tears as he looked at the two suitcases sitting patiently by the kitchen table that the groceries sat on.

"Perishables" he said, "Gotta sort those."

"Keys hanging here are for an old beat up jeep in the barn, OK?" Jack pointed, "If you need to go into the village for anything, hey are you listening?"

Ianto swung to glare and then wilt.

"I'm sorry" Jack whispered.

"Me too" Ianto swallowed, trying to be brave.

He watched the SUV disappear and then looked down at the dog, patiently looking back up at him.

"Well Lucy?" he said with a wavering voice, "I guess we're on our own."

He sat heavily on the deck and finally felt the link break as Jack got too far away and then he gave in, starting to weep quietly as he looked around at the mess.

Autumn leaves everywhere, cobwebs, dust, crap!

Lucy whined and laid her head on his feet, trying to comfort.

.

.

.

.

Owen stood with a look of thunder as the Unit General faced him down, "What do you mean he's not here?"

"Holidays" Owen said with a dangerously low voce, "Did I fucking stutter?"

Gwen was twisting in her seat and Owen was doubly glad Jack had entrusted only him with Ianto's location, although he was sure Mainframe knew.

"He was here this morning" Gwen simpered, "He left with Jack?"

The General had swung to stare at her then rounded on his PA, "I want the airport on alert. Check the flight the captain is on, I want all internal scanners up and running."

Owen grimaced as he watched Gwen primp, "He won't get far. He needs to recharge."

Tosh gasped with horror as Owen swung on his chair to stare at her.

"I'm sure he can survive a few days without his laptop" Owen barked and Gwen coloured as she realized what she had said choosing to let her head drop.

The General narrowed his eyes as he continued to stare at her.

"The computer still won't let me into those files" a private said from Tosh's terminal.

"Too right, they are the property of her majesty the queen, my boss" Owen snarled, "She is going to be pissed when she learns that you broke in like this."

He resisted the urge to glare at Gwen again, the stupid one who left the door open behind her.

Or did she.

Owen looked at her again as the seeds of doubt started to blossom.

Why had she used that word?

And why was the General already looking at her?


	27. Chapter 27

27

Owen was still chewing over what had happened and his distrust in Gwen grew, but he knew he had to keep it to himself as he was still finding Unit bugs everywhere from their little visit.

The thing that really confused him though … why had they taken the laundry from the bunker?

A plastic bag full of Ianto and Jack's dirty washing.

What the fuck was that going to tell them?

.

.

.

.

.

"So, you're not going to make it back?"

"They've cancelled all flights into London, Cardiff. Can't even get into the International." Across two thousand miles Jack's voice was deflated and travel weary. "They shut everything down."

Ianto could hear the faint din of the busy airport where he imagined Jack sitting in one of the plastic chairs there, staring at the cancellation board. It all sounded so noisy and chaotic.

But here on the deck of their cabin in the woods, he could only hear the soft hiss of the wind through the bare trees. It was cold, and the first few flakes of the coming storm were lazily floating from the gray sky.

"Are you all right there?" Jack asked.

"I'm fine. I went into town, stopped at the little store and stocked up. Then I went to their excuse for a hardware store for batteries. We're expected to lose power." The trip into town, only five miles away, had been a nightmare. People had flocked to the stores, clearing the shelves of batteries, flashlights, kerosene, lamps, milk, eggs, bread and canned goods.

He'd stood in line for forty-five minutes at the Supermarket and witnessed a knockdown, drag out fight between two women over the last gallon of whole milk. It was ugly and by the time he fought his way out of the parking lot, grinding his teeth and gripping the steering wheel so hard his wrists ached, he was hoping that the blizzard would just kill them all.

"Fuel for the generator?" Jack's voice was nearly drowned out by an announcement from the airport

system.

"Checked that the other day." Ianto shivered. He wasn't wearing his coat, just a heavy sweater, and he knew he should go back inside, but he needed the fresh air just now.

"Good, good. Remember how to start it?"

Ianto rolled his eyes, even though his Captain wasn't there to see.

"Yes, dear," he said in the exasperated tone his mother had used with his father, the tone he knew Jack hated. "I've got it. Quit worrying about me. I'm fine. Worse comes to worse, I'll just be holed up here for a couple of days. Lucy will take care of me."

"All right," Jack said. "I'll let you go. I gotta go see if I can get a hotel room."

"Love you," Ianto said, smiling.

"Love you too, Yan. Stay safe."

"I will. Bye."

Jack muttered something into the phone that he didn't quite catch, and then the line disconnected.

Ianto pressed the end button on the cordless phone, and tapped it against his cheek as he stared out at the trees that crowded close to the house. Even with the sound of the wind through the trees, it was eerily silent.

 _The calm before the storm._

He spent a moment trying to catch a fat snowflake on his tongue before a gust of wind sent him back into the house.

Lucy was waiting for him on the other side of the sliding glass door. The red setter stood and wagged her tail vigorously when he entered the warm house.

It had originally been a small two room cabin and Jack had spent years, and more money than he wanted to think about, restoring the house, updating it, making it compatible with twenty-first century life. He had created an open space on the main floor so that the living room flowed into the small kitchen. On the far wall of the living room stood a wood stove.

If the electricity went out and rationing of the generator occurred, it would be his sole source of heat. The large bedroom was in a loft over the kitchen, and below the stairs was Jack's office, a space not much bigger than a walk in closet. A wraparound porch encircled the entire house.

He was surrounded by ten acres of trees and marsh. The house was five hundred feet from the road, and during the summer the trees obscured the view, but in winter he could catch a glimpse of it through the bare branches.

The nearest neighbours were half a mile away.

Jack loved it here.

Ianto wasn't so sure about it.

A storm was brewing.


	28. Chapter 28

28

Ianto made sure the door was firmly closed and shuddered as he checked the thermometer.

God, it was getting cold.

Ianto went to the kitchen with Lucy trailing behind. He poured a mug of milk and placed it in the microwave, then searched for a packet of hot chocolate, wishing he was in Texas with Jack instead of here in the Barrens, facing what the Weather Channel was billing as the "Storm of the Century".

The microwave beeped, and he gingerly removed the hot cup of milk.

Sitting at the table in the middle of the kitchen area, he stirred the powdered cocoa and marshmallows into the milk and sipped carefully.

Lucy lay down at his feet, and Ianto kicked off his shoe to rub her belly with a socked foot. The dog groaned deep in her throat with pleasure.

The wind was beginning to blow harder. He could hear it howling around the corners of the house, and a glance out the window over the kitchen sink showed that the light flurries of just ten minutes ago had morphed into a steady snow fall.

He finished his hot cocoa, put his shoe back on, and went into the living room to check the weather.

The satellite signal was already spotty from the snow, and the images on the screen wavered in and out of existence, but he got the gist of the story. Originally, the storm was supposed to pass far to the north leaving the lower areas mostly unscathed, but a sudden change in direction had pushed it south until the entire of Great Britain were covered.

Gale force winds, sub-zero temperatures, snow falling for twenty-four hours straight – or longer.

The storm of the century.

He turned off the TV and went about tidying up the place.

Jack was far less organized than he was, and without him there to temper his natural tendencies, the house had quickly fallen into disarray as it got a well deserved clean-up which resulted in piles of things to be further categorized.

Jack always joked that he was his wee Archivist.

By the time Jack got home, he intended having an organized home.

He didn't want to trip on anything or knock anything over in the dark if the lights went out so things were moved to corners.

He ate his dinner, a Lean Cuisine that looked nothing like the picture on the box, at the table with Lucy at his feet again.

A gust of wind rattled the window over the kitchen sink. It was getting dark outside, but Ianto could see that the snow was now coming down in a thick, white curtain.

When he was done eating he went back to the living room and turned the TV on again. The image was hazy and jumped, but he left the TV on for company, the noise filling the room.

He pulled the crochet afghan his grandmother had made for him off the back of the sofa and curled up to a marathon of Supernatural episodes.

He didn't plan on it, but in the middle of the third episode, his head dipped, and his eyelids grew heavy.

He fell asleep with Lucy lying on the floor at his side.

.

.

.

.

"It's getting worse" Tosh said softly, "We have a heavy dump of snow coming, looks like the winter storms are here."

Owen nodded and hummed as his eyes slid to the edge of the map on the screen, resisting the urge to examine it more openly.

He made a mental note to call Ianto later via Mainframe, to check in with him.

It was going to get cold.

.

.

.

.

.

It was dark when he awoke. Ianto blinked, trying to make out the ceiling above him, but saw nothing but blackness **.**

The wind was blowing in sustained gusts now, he could hear it whistling and howling around the house and rattling the windows like some hungry thing trying to get in. And it was cold.

He shivered, despite his thick sweater and socks. It took him a moment, but he slowly realized that the power had gone out.


	29. Chapter 29

29

"Shit," Ianto muttered into the black room. Lucy whimpered somewhere to his left, then he heard the click of the dog's claws on the hardwood floor as she came near.

In a moment, he felt her cold, wet nose nuzzling his cheek and neck.

He pushed her away and sat up, swinging his legs off the sofa. He couldn't see anything, and silently berated himself for not keeping a flashlight close. He knew the lights were likely to go out, but unusually he had failed to think ahead. It was worrying about Jack. He had totally zoned out about himself.

Lucy whimpered again, and licked his hand. Her warm tongue only accentuated how cold it was in the house. How long ago had the power gone out?

"I'm going," Ianto said as he stood up and wrapped the afghan around his shoulders.

He tried to orient himself, disturbed by how disorienting the absolute darkness was. It didn't help matters much that when he made his decision, Lucy was in his way.

Cursing, he nudged the dog away with his legs and slowly made his way around the sofa, holding on to it with his free hand. From there it would be a straight shot to the kitchen, where he remembered leaving a flashlight on the counter, next to the coffee maker.

Slowly, with one hand outstretched and searching for obstacles while the other hand clutched the afghan close to his throat, he made his way forward.

The sound of his socks shuffling whispered across the floor and he could hear the click of the setter's claws as she kept pace with him.

He envied her keen nose sure she could smell where he was going far more easily than he could see.

After a few moments he supposed he must have made it to the kitchen and he started shuffling left.

He sighed with relief when his hip finally bumped into the counter. Then it was another minute of fumbling across the counter top until his hand found the flashlight. It fell over with a clatter and Ianto grasped it with both hands, turning the cylinder until he found the switch.

A beam of white light shot into his eyes, and squeezing them shut, he tilted the light away from himself.

He opened his eyes again, blinking at the red spots that clouded his vision. After a few more moments, his eyes adjusted and he flashed the beam around the kitchen. He relaxed. Now that he could see he was much less anxious.

"Let's go have a look outside."

Lucy, apparently reacting to the word "outside", stood up and bolted to the back door.

Shining the light through the window only showed him another beam of light and his own face peering back at him, darkened and more sinister. He lowered the flashlight and pressed his face close to the glass. He could barely make out the snow coming down. He reached down and twisted the door knob, and pulled the door open.

Immediately, a gust of wind burst through the doorway, blowing a sheet of white into the room.

Ianto pushed the door closed, leaning against it to combat the wind.

Once he had the door closed he retrieved the flashlight, which he had dropped, and shone the light on a small drift of snow on the floor.

Lucy came into the circle of light, sniffed at the white stuff, and gave it a lick.

Ianto shook his head at the pile of snow.

There was no way he was going to go out there to start the generator.

He was thinking of the snow, the way the wind was blowing, and how cold it was getting, when the air began to buzz.

For a moment he thought that a bee or wasp had somehow survived the freezing temperatures. Never mind that it was the middle of January and bees would have been hibernating, or whatever it is they did in the winter.

The buzzing grew louder, the air seemed to be vibrating with the sound, and within seconds, it was zipping across his exposed skin.

He could feel the hairs on his arms standing up underneath the fabric of his sweater. The buzzing intensified, Lucy began to howl, and run in circles.

The buzzing was in his skull now, he could feel his teeth vibrating in their sockets, and he clapped his hands over his ears, dropping the flashlight again in the process.

There was electricity in the air now, and he could smell burning ozone.

Just when he thought he couldn't take anymore, the skull-racking buzz ended abruptly.

Ianto didn't have time to appreciate the sudden silence, when there was a flash of bright blue light, like cold lightning striking close to the house. It lit up the air, and for a second he could clearly see the back deck, and the snow still coming down thickly in stark detail.

Then it all went dark just as a massive _BOOM_ exploded in the silence.

The walls shook.

The windows rattled, but held.

Then it was quiet again.


	30. Chapter 30

30

The sound of the wind filled the emptiness the explosion left behind.

"What the hell was that?" Ianto whispered.

The sound of his voice seemed much louder than it should have been.

Lucy was leaning against him for comfort, and he took his own comfort from the heat of her body against his legs.

He found the flashlight on the floor ( _I should just tie it to my wrist if I'm going to keep dropping it)_ and with the yellow light he tried to see outside again.

Nothing but snow.

He'd once been caught outdoors in a summer thunderstorm when a bolt of lightning had struck the ground ten feet away from the pavilion he had taken shelter in.

The light had been blinding and the thunder deafening, but what he had just experienced was ten times worse.

Could it have been lightning?

He had heard of thunder-snow before, but that explanation didn't seem right. What about the buzzing, the electricity in the air before the light?

He had never felt anything like that before.

With a sigh he turned away from the door and went to the closet. He put on his coat and found his hat and gloves in the pocket. He pulled another, heavier blanket from the shelf above the rack and then went to the kitchen to find his cell phone.

He checked the time: 3:37 AM, and of course he had no signal. At least four hours until sunrise and in the meantime he had no electricity, no heat.

And as was typical for Jack, he hadn't thought to bring any of the firewood in before leaving like Ianto had asked.

No power meant no heating, damn it.

 _It was all neatly stacked on the back deck, covered in several inches of snow, no doubt._

He thought he could survive the next few hours, if he stayed bundled up in her winter gear and blankets. When the sun came up he would get the generator going, and make sure he was better prepared for the coming days.

He went back to the sofa, propped the flashlight on the cushion next to him, pulled the blankets closer, and waited for the sun to come up.

Though he tried not to, he dozed off again, and when he next opened his eyes, a weak gray light lit the room.

The first thing he thought of was the blinding blue light, and the boom that followed it.

Was that a dream?

Several hours later, and with a nap squeezed in, the whole experience seemed surreal.

Ianto blinked and groaned. His neck was sore and his body was stiff from his seated position. He disentangled himself from the blankets, and slowly stood.

Lucy was standing at the backdoor, and when she saw him moving she gave a short bark and wagged her tail.

"Hold on." Through the glass door he could see that it was still snowing, though it was lighter and coming down almost vertically.

There was a pile of melting snow on the floor in front of the door.

Seeing it he was convinced that the light hadn't been a dream.

"Looks a little better out there."

Lucy whined and her entire rear end wagged in excitement.

When he pulled the door open more snow fell in through the doorway.

His jaw dropped open.

There had to be two feet of snow piled up in drifts against the house.

Lucy sniffed at the snow and whined again.

"I know," Ianto said. "But we both have to go out there."

He leaned forward, peering around the corner.

There sat the generator where snow had drifted up against it. He groaned, realizing that he was going to have to dig it out in order to get it working. He looked down at his jeans and at the dog that looked absolutely miserable.

She was doing the doggy version of the pee-pee dance, but obviously didn't want to brave the cold and wet.

"Give me a minute," he said, pushing the door closed. Lucy whined even more pathetically.

He went to the closet and pulled out his snow pants. They were a bright pink, and Jack laughed at him every time he saw them, but it didn't matter what colour they were as long as they kept the snow from caking, then melting, into his pant legs.

He opened the door again and stepped outside.


	31. Chapter 31

31

There was a light breeze, nothing like the night before, and Ianto ignored it.

Lucy waited in the doorway, refusing to move. After gently cajoling, encouraging and cursing the dog, he went back inside and physically pushed her out onto the deck, where she stood, hunched and whining deep in her throat.

"Just a few minutes. As soon as I'm done, we'll go back inside." he walked through snow up to his knees to the generator where it sat pressed close to the house.

He saw the snow had not reached the height of the start button, but it did surround the body of the machine. Using his gloved hands, he started brushing the snow away from the generator, only pausing when Lucy gave a quick bark.

He opened the door so the shivering dog could go back inside, and then returned to his work. Finally, when the snow was cleared away, he paused to catch his breath. Despite the cold he was sweating in his layers of clothes from the effort.

He pressed the button and after a moment the generator coughed and sputtered, then roared to life.

He slipped off his boots and snow pants at the door, and went around the house, turning off the lights and the TV which only showed a blue screen with "No Signal" in the corner.

Now Lucy was standing over her bowl, waiting patiently for him to fill it. He poured himself a bowl of cereal. While he ate, he considered his day. He would have to call Jack, let him know he was fine.

Then Owen.

Then he would have to see what the damage was.

He knew he had enough fuel for three days if he didn't run any unnecessary appliances, and kept the heat down. Judging by the snow on the deck he figured it would take a few days for everyone to dig out, but he hoped the power would be back on by then.

They were in the boondocks, but depending on where the lines had gone down, it might not take very long for it to come back on.

He figured at the very least the road would get cleared in the next day or so. He could shovel out the drive way, and if it really came down to it and the electricity was off for longer than three days, he could drive in to town, and stay at the hub, Owen's gentle nagging be damned.

He poured the last of the milk down the sink and rinsed the bowl with icy water from the tap. Then, he picked up the cordless phone and listened for a dial tone. There was nothing, not even the soft hiss of an open line.

No Mainframe.

"Shit," he muttered.

He looked at his cell phone where it sat on the sofa. He considered trekking down the driveway to the road to try to make the call, but as desperate as he was to talk to Jack and the team, he was just as desperate to remain warm and dry.

He wondered how much longer the snow would fall.

The news reports had predicted that the first blast would have occurred last night, but the snow would continue to fall through today. It would be best to at least make the attempt. They were probably all worried about him.

He pulled on the snow pants and boots again. he put on his coat, pulled a knit hat down over his ears, and wrapped a thick scarf around his face and neck.

Zipped, wrapped and tied into heavy layers, he carefully walked across the porch, barely able to make out the steps leading down to the yard.

The snow hadn't drifted as high on this side of the house, but it still reached half way up his shins. It had been a long time since he had seen snow this deep, and never from a single, sustained snowfall, and as he waded towards the railing he had a faint feeling of disquiet.

It could be far worse than he had expected.

He gripped the railing with one hand and stepped down where he thought the first step was. Then, carefully he took another step, missed the next rung, and tumbled into the freezing white snow.

He thrashed around in the snow. Everywhere he placed his hands collapsed beneath him, burying him a foot and a half deep in the icy wetness.

After several attempts, he managed to flatten enough area to push himself up onto his knees and then slowly to his feet as he giggled hysterically at the image in his mind of what he must look like.

His scarf had unravelled, and snow seeped in under his collar. He shook and slapped at himself to loosen the snow that had caked onto his coat and pants during the struggle, and then, with trepidation, stripped off a glove and checked his pocket for the cell phone.

It was still there, dry, and in apparent working order. He looked down at the snow where he had fallen, and muttered several unseemly words under his breath.

He took a few steps to the left to get a look at the side of the house.

A white, vaguely Jeep shaped object sat in the place where he had parked the red Ford yesterday afternoon.

He cursed some more.

It was going to be a long day of shovelling.


	32. Chapter 32

32

Ianto turned around and started heading towards the driveway, or at least where he thought the driveway was.

It was hard going.

At first he tried to walk normally, but it was like walking through a semi solid wall, as his legs pushed the snow in front of him. Panting from exertion he started lifting his legs high, stomping through the soft snow. It was much easier than pushing it around, but soon his thighs ached from the motion.

Five hundred feet had never felt so far.

Eventually, after several minutes during which he completely unravelled the scarf to allow some cool air on his face, he reached the road.

Or what he supposed was the road.

The county had laid salt down yesterday morning, but there was no way of telling that now. It looked as much the same as everything else – a solid white ribbon bordered by trees covered in snow.

He looked left and right. The whole area was completely quiet except for the caw of a crow somewhere in the trees.

Ianto pulled the phone from his pocket and checked the signal indicator.

It showed one bar.

He took a few steps into the road and checked again.

No bar.

He took a few more steps, held the phone over his head and looked up.

One bar, but when he lowered the phone the signal disappeared again.

He shuffled around in the snow for nearly ten minutes, chasing the single bar of service until he found a spot that gave him a second bar.

He stood stock still, for moving even six inches in any direction turned the phone into a useless piece of plastic.

He was cold again, and her hands shook as he pulled up Jack's number and pressed "talk".

"Hey." Ianto didn't think she had ever been so happy to hear Jack's voice.

"Jack?"

"- to? - How-"

"Jack?" he shouted now, as if raising his voice would make him better heard across two thousand miles.

"Can't hear – out-"

"I know!" he said even more loudly. "Look, if you can hear me-"

"You're – out -"

"If you can hear me, I'm OK The power went out. The phone's not working and cell service is shit."

"Iant -"

"Dammit." he stamped his foot in frustration. "I'm all right. Just a lot of snow."

There was no response. "Jack?"

He pulled the phone away from his face.

The call had ended and the service indicator was dark. He moved around, trying to make the bars appear again, but it was no use.

He slipped the phone back into his pocket and pulled his gloves back on.

There was a crackling sound that made him jump before realizing it was an overloaded branch finally breaking. Looking at the trees around him, clothed in their white robes, he thought this was going to be a hell of a cleanup.

But perhaps they could salvage some of the wood for the stove later in the year.

The return to the house was much easier.

He carefully took the stairs and kicked his boots against the door jam before going in.

He stripped off his gear, and patted Lucy on the head before going upstairs to change.

He was still wearing the same clothes he had slept in, and the sweater was now damp with sweat and melted snow. He pulled on a clean sweatshirt and jeans, and found a pair of thick woollen socks.

Then he went back the living room considering what he should do for the day. He had no phone, no internet, no TV.

Ianto looked at the falling show again – couldn't help but look at it.

It showed no sign of letting up.

He went about the house, collecting flashlights and batteries, making a little nest of blankets for himself on the sofa. Lucy followed him around as he did this. After that was settled he put the snow pants and boots back on, and stomped his way to the shed behind the house where he got out the snow shovel.

He cleared the remaining snow from around the generator and checked the fuel level. Then he shovelled the steps leading to the back yard and cleared a patch of grass for Lucy to do her business, knowing the dog would only get more stubborn about peeing in snow up to her chest.

Eventually his back started to complain, even if the arm ever faltered. Dragging the shovel behind him, he went back to the house. Inside, he heated a pot of milk on the gas stove for hot cocoa, flexing his frozen fingers and winced as feeling returned with the sensation of fiery needles.

Lucy, now lounging on the floor by the refrigerator watched him and yawned.

"Lazy," he said, and the dog's ears perked up. "I made you a shit box out there. You better use it."

She only cocked her head and yawned again.

Ianto mixed the hot chocolate and sat on a stool to drink it. Lucy came to stand next to him. He patted her on the head and she tensed, ears perked and eyes locked on the wall behind her.

Ianto turned to look.

Lucy growled.


	33. Chapter 33

33

"What?"

The only response was another growl cut short. Then she just stared, the full length of her body tensed.

Ianto followed her gaze.

Nothing but the wall.

Then he heard it.

A slithering, thumping sound.

He cocked his head as he listened.

 _What is that?_

There was another slither, the sound sliding down the outside wall, then soft thuds, and Ianto relaxed. It was just snow falling from the roof.

"Silly," he said to Lucy, and himself.

He jumped at a loud thud, a solid sound, not the soft plop of snow.

Then the unmistakable sound of footsteps, as if someone was running across the deck. The sound passed the kitchen window, but whatever it was wasn't tall enough to see it.

Ianto jumped from his seat and rushed to the window.

Nothing.

A field of white.

Lazy flakes floating past his field of vision.

And beyond that the trees, skeletal and quivering under the weight of so much snow.

He looked down, making out a disturbance in the snow.

Tracks.

But looking left and right he couldn't see what had made them.

He went to the door, pulled it open, and looked out. There was his own trail from earlier, but he couldn't see any tracks on this side of the house.

He quickly pulled on his boots and went out onto the porch. He went around the corner to the side the kitchen was on.

There they were, deep imprints set about two feet apart, staggered slightly.

Further up he could see where the snow had fallen from the roof, piled up against the side of the house like a tiny avalanche. He looked up at the roof and saw a deep trough, as if something had slid from it.

 _No_ , he thought, _it's just from where the snow slid and fell._

Except the bottom of the trough looked packed down, as if something had been sitting there before sliding off the roof and onto the deck.

He shook his head.

That was stupid, and paranoid.

Nothing had been on the roof, nothing that big, anyway.

He would have heard it.

He looked back at the tracks. They started at the avalanche and ended right at the far corner of the house. They were evenly spaced and each indent stood alone, perfectly clear. There were no drag marks between the indents. Whatever it was it had been lifting its legs high as it ran.

Ianto looked around.

The tracks ended abruptly.

There were none behind him.

He looked at the flat, undisturbed yard.

There were no tracks there either.

He looked up.

From where he stood he saw nothing amiss.

Whatever had made the tracks was gone.

But what had made them?

He shivered.

He was only in his sweatshirt and jeans, and snow had crept up over his boots and was melting against his legs. He followed his own tracks back to the front door, pausing at the threshold to take one last look around.

There was nothing, and he was struck again by how quiet it was.

Several hours went by. The snow stopped falling, but the electricity remained stubbornly off.

Ianto topped off the fuel in the generator and then eyed the pile of firewood stacked up beside the house. He carried several pieces inside and set them up in the wood stove, just in case. Underneath the kitchen sink was a lamp and some kerosene for it.

He filled the lamp and left it on the kitchen counter for later. After a quick lunch eaten over the kitchen sink, he dressed again and went outside to start digging out the truck.

By the time he had finished a trail from the truck to the front of the house, the sun still hidden behind low, gray clouds, had dropped below the tree line.

He lit the kerosene lamp and ate cold ravioli straight from the can. When Lucy began to whine again, he hustled her out the back door and watched as she hunched, shivering, in the spot he had cleared for her. Then she sniffed around for a few minutes before finally trotting back up to the house.

It had started snowing again, and Ianto watched the drifting flakes with dismay.

He went back to the living room, and put the lamp on the table beside the sofa. He lifted a hand and made a shadow bunny dance across the yellow light reflected on the ceiling, then a dog opening and closing its mouth.

"Woof, woof," he said, making Lucy stand and lick his face.

"Ew." he pushed her away. "Lie down. Wasn't talking to you anyway."

Lucy yawned, groaned, and lay down on the floor next to him.

He thought again about the tracks in the snow, and the sliding, thudding sound. He had tried not to think about it earlier, and when it did come to him he dismissed it as some sort of animal.

But what kind of animal could walk through snow that deep without leaving drag marks?

And there was the indent in the snow on the roof.

And the way the tracks ended.


	34. Chapter 34

34

Ianto told himself he was being paranoid and jumpy.

Nothing was going to happen, and if he just laid here thinking about it things were only going to get worse.

Sleep.

He needed to sleep and recharge. When he woke up it would be morning, then it would be light.

Maybe the electricity would be back on. Maybe the road would be clear. Then he could stay with Owen Take a hot shower. That sounded wonderful.

He made sure a flashlight was at hand, and put out the kerosene lamp. He pulled the blankets up to his chin as he recharged, and closed his eyes. He listened to the generator and underneath that, the sound of Lucy breathing; his own breath and his heartbeat thudding in his ears.

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"I'm sorry Jack, there is still not connection" Tosh sighed as she listened to Jack roaring down the line.

"Oi! Don't speak to her like that!" Owen snapped, "He will be fine. You know he will be fine. For god sake, stop fluffing like a mother hen!"

Jack sighed as he reluctantly agreed.

"They're calling my flight" he said with relief as he finished the call, hoping to get there before the fuel ran out.

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Ianto jerked awake, blinking at the blackness that surrounded him

Something had woken him, a sound, but now all he heard was silence. He realized that the generator was off. Had it run out of fuel? No, it couldn't have. He'd filled it before it got dark.

Ianto lay quietly, listening intently. Maybe it wasn't a sound, but lack of sound that had awakened him. He turned his head in the direction of the wood stove. _Better get that lit, I suppose._

He stood up, placing his feet carefully to avoid stepping on Lucy, before realizing she wasn't there.

He reached down, and found the handle of the flashlight on the floor next to the sofa. The beam of light cut a path through the darkness, and he swept that path back and forth across the room.

Lucy was nowhere to be seen.

He sat back down on the couch with flashlight in his hand. Where was that damn dog?

"Lucy?" Not a sound. He shone the light around the room again watching the shadows loom and retreat as the light passed objects, the lamp on the table, the tall vase filled with dried grass in the corner.

No dog.

"Lucy?" he called again, or rather whispered. Even that sounded too loud in the dark room. "You got some 'splaining to do!"

He stood again and walked around the couch towards the kitchen. There she was, sitting next the sink, staring up at the window. When he approached she stood and whimpered

"What now? Please don't tell me you have to go out." Lucy leaned against him.

The weight of her body pushed him off balance. Ianto moved away and told her to stop. The dog followed him. "Come on, let's sit back down."

He passed the light over the counter top until he found his cell phone.

Swiping his finger across the screen he saw it was 4 AM exactly.

Another early morning wake up.

There was a crash from outside.

Ianto dropped the phone, and the clatter of plastic on wood was lost in the loud thuds and unholy screeching that came from outside.

Lucy ran to the front door, barking furiously, and then away, still barking.

The thuds and thumps became more frantic, the screeching rising in intensity and pitch, until Ianto clapped his hands over his ears.

But he could still hear it. It sounded like two animals in a battle to the death out there. The fight was moved across the front porch, and he rushed to the window to try to see what was happening.

All he saw was his own reflection, pale face surrounded by tousled hair, staring back at him.

He angled the flashlight away.

There were shadows rolling and thrusting across the snow and in the shadows something solid moved. It was too dark, and he was not at the right angle to get a good look.

He could see clearer if he went to the door, but there was no way in hell he was opening the door.

Abruptly, the shrieking stopped.

The thumping ceased, the shadows, and the things cloaked in them, stilled.

Then a soft chattering sound, like smooth pebbles rolling through a metal can, came from just below the window. The sound stopped, and another chattering sound came, followed by a third.

Ianto realized that whatever was out there, there were a lot of them. 


	35. Chapter 35

35

Ianto pulled away from the window and instinctively turned off the flashlight, plunging himself into darkness.

Without the light the sounds from the deck grew louder, filling the space the light had occupied.

It was terrible, and seemed to come from all sides of the house.

Ianto turned the light on again, and stifled a scream when shadows leapt at him from every corner of the room.

Lucy had ceased barking, and was cowering beside him, too terrified to even whine now.

Ianto lunged at the window and pulled the curtains closed, as if that would block the sounds.

He hurried to the door to make sure it was locked, then to the back door as the sounds filled the house.

Jesus, they were everywhere!

And as abruptly as it had all started it stopped.

It was dead silent.

Ianto stood in the middle of the living room, clutching the flashlight, holding his breath.

Slithering, snuffling, a soft scraping along the wall.

Something was prowling the deck, brushing against the walls, maybe sniffing at the doorways and under the windows. There was a soft clicking sound and then it all stopped.

He waited, listening to the quiet for a long time, but there were no more sounds, except for his own laboured breathing and Lucy panting as she leaned into him.

Ianto carefully stepped across the room to where he had left the kerosene lamp.

With shaking hands he lit the wick and turned up the light. The lamp cast a brighter light and a wider circle, it was much more comforting than the flashlight was.

Turning slowly he inspected the room. All was right within his tiny part of the world.

The creatures, whatever they were, remained quiet. Lucy stayed close to him as he hurried to Jack's closet.

It was where he kept his rifle.

Ianto had seen it while exploring and by god he was glad he had.

He took the rifle from its case opened the desk drawer, and there beside notepads, pens and a loose zip drive, was a box of ammunition. He carefully loaded the rounds into the rifle and, carrying the rifle as his training had taught him, he went back to the living room.

The chattering rose around the house.

The things were moving again, fighting each other and bumping against the walls. Ianto sat on the sofa and held the rifle close. He waited for the sun to come up.

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"Owen?" Tosh said softly, "Mainframe had just sent up an intruder alert."

Owen spun from his workstation with surprise, rising to look at the security cameras but there was nothing there.

"Where?"

"That's the weird thing" she frowned, "I knew it was some sort of malfunction so I did a satellite imagery search to see why it would register way out there and I found …"

"A cabin" Owen sighed.

"I was going to say a Unit Field Operations Camp" she frowned and Owen started to curse as she clicked the images to screen, showing several vehicles and tents set up less than a mile from Jack's cabin.

"Bastards found him" he finally explained as Tosh paled and started to attack the keyboard with her nails.

Gwen looked at them with confusion, then at the screen.

"Why was Jack all the way out there?" she asked and Owen swung to look as her at his mind ticked over, and then he roared with anger.

"You gave them the SUV tracking code" he accused, "You stupid bitch. You gave them Ianto."

Gwen started to cry as she tried to explain it was for Jack, Unit said they wanted it in case of an emergency.

"Emergency?" Owen scoffed, "When Jack gets back the only emergency you will see is the one with the word in with its mates…. You know…..A&E? You stupid cow!"

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Four hours felt like fourteen, but finally the sky began to lighten.

Throughout the night, Ianto had sat on the sofa, clutching the rifle and trying not to jump every time he heard a thump or slither, or the eerie chattering sounds.

Several times he steeled himself to burst out onto the deck to confront the creatures, but then he reminded himself that it was pitch black outside, and he didn't know what the hell those things were.

He didn't even know how big they were.

He never saw them through the windows, or the glass door, but the thudding sounds they made as the bumped into the walls or into each other made him think of something with a lot of mass.

As the early morning light filled the room, the noises retreated.

He could hear them shuffling and chattering as they left the deck.

By the time the sun had risen completely, the noises had stopped.


	36. Chapter 36

36

Slowly, and as quietly as he could, Ianto went to the patio door, and pulled back the blinds.

It was no longer snowing, and the snow on the deck was a trampled mess.

Looking left and right all he could see were tracks and larger places where the creatures had rested, lying down, or sitting, during the night.

As far as the things themselves, there wasn't a sign of them.

Gripping the rifle tightly in one hand, he lifted the latch and pulled the sliding door open. It was cold in the house, but the puff of air that came in was even colder, and it brought with it a deep, musky scent, like a skunk, only sweeter.

He sniffed the air. Was that what those things smelled like?

Lucy squeezed in beside him, sniffing, then darted out the door. "Lucy!"

He called as the dog raced across the deck, down the stairs that were covered with trampled snow, and began to sniff furiously at the ground.

"Get back here," he hissed.

Lucy ignored him and squatted. In the quiet he heard a gentle splattering sound. Then, she trotted off and repeated the procedure at the corner of the house.

Ianto put on his boots, and holding the rifle in shaking hands, he stepped out onto the deck.

He crossed the snow and ice covered wood and turned to look at the roof. The snow there was trampled as well. In a few places the snow had completely fallen away, and the black shingles showed through.

He looked down at his feet, seeing the tracks. There were so many of them that it was hard to distinguish them from one another, but every once in a while he got a glimpse of a print, something like an oblong paw, with four toes, one of which was offset to the side a little.

He realized that the little offset toe was a thumb, or something like it.

What kind of animal made these tracks? He didn't know. The only animals he knew of around here with thumbs were racoons, and looking at the tracks, remembering the sounds from, last night they must have been some big-ass racoons.

Lucy returned, still sniffing at the ground.

He called to her and she bounded up the steps, giving him a sharp look as she passed.

Ianto sniffed and looked around again. Other than the disturbances in the snow, and the faint scent, which was even now dissipating, there was no sign of whatever creatures had haunted him last night.

He went back into the house and put on his coat and gloves, then slinging the rifle over his shoulder he went back outside to check on the generator.

What he found both infuriated and terrified him. The cable connecting the machine to the house was frayed and ruined. Something – one of those _things –_ had chewed through it.

Why had they done that?

He couldn't think of a reason, if there was any reason other than one of them had felt a bit peckish in the night.

Ianto opened the fuel cap, and though he couldn't see into the tank, he could smell the gas. The thing would have run through the night if it weren't for the damaged cable. Thank god he had fully charged before it had happened. He cussed as he screwed the cap back into place and went back into the house.

He found his phone underneath the lip of the cupboard under the sink where he had kicked it in the dark. It was intact, but the battery was dead, not that it would have been any use to him fully charged.

He picked up the cordless phone, realized it wouldn't work without power, and barely restrained himself from hurling the useless plastic across the room.

He went to the front door and pulled it open. The snow there was trampled too, and in one hard packed lump of snow a fluff of dark red fur was caught. He knelt beside the tuft of fur. There was more in another spot and he assumed it was from the screeching fight last night.

Lucy whimpered at him from the doorway, and Ianto shushed her.

Standing, he took one last look around before going back inside.

He started the fire in the wood stove, and brought some more firewood inside. He ate some dry cereal straight from the box while Lucy crunched kibble from her bowl, and thought about what to do next.

There was no sign of those things from last night. Where could they have gone?

He no longer had any desire to stay here by himself, but the time to change his mind was long past.

Now all he could do was to wait until the road was cleared. Reserve power or … shit.

Remove the arm?

Although removing the arm would give him another eight hours of power, he didn't want to be vulnerable, knowing it might be the only weapon left in the end.

Just shut it down and keep it slung?

When would the snow plough come through?

He was too far out, and his hopeful expectations of the day before seemed ridiculously optimistic now.

He hadn't even managed to get the driveway cleared yesterday. Even if a plough came by now, he would still have to dig his way out to the road.

 _I could just start walking. Head down the road to the neighbours. Tell them...just tell them I got spooked being snowed in out here by myself._

But walking would require him to be out in the open.

What if those things came back?

What if they attacked?

Would they attack?


	37. Chapter 37

37

Finally, Ianto decided to go with his original plan.

He would start shovelling out the driveway, that way when the plough came he could abandon ship ASAP.

It would allow him to stay close to the house, in case the creatures came back.

He felt secure in the house.

The things hadn't been able to get in last night, and he was sure it would continue to protect him.

Having something to do might calm his frayed nerves. He still ached from his exertions the day before, but he was sure he would loosen up soon enough.

Ianto dressed again, adding the snow pants to his outfit, and slung the rifle over his shoulder.

Lucy tried to follow him out the door, but he pushed her back inside. "It's too cold. You'll freeze your little tits off out there."

Lucy huffed, but stayed, and he left the inside door open so she could watch him through the glass of the storm door.

The work was hard.

His only thought was to get the driveway done. If he could just get this done, everything would be all right. He stopped every minute or so to look around and to adjust the rifle dangling across his back.

It would be so much easier without that encumbrance, but Ianto didn't want to put it down. What if those things came back?

He was beginning to think that they were nocturnal, seeing neither hide nor hair of any of them in the last few hours. He worked steadily for over an hour, and had the driveway about three quarters of the way done.

The last several yards went through the trees that bordered the property.

He paused, panting, willing the sharp pains in his lower back to go away.

The next time he saw Jack he was demanding a snow-blower.

He looked back at the house and made out Lucy sitting in the doorway.

She saw him looking and stood, wagging her tail. Ianto chuckled and shook his head. He would have liked to have her out here with him, but she was a Setter, and a particularly slight example of the breed at that. She wasn't built for the cold, and he knew her paws would be caked in ice in no time. It was better for her inside.

He wished he was inside.

He leaned against the snow shovel and listened to the quiet. He heard a crow call, maybe the same one from yesterday, and looked up, but saw nothing. He cocked his head, listening for sounds of traffic.

All he got was a soft plop as a clump of snow fell from a tree nearby.

After a moment he sighed, stretched his arms over his head and twisted side to side. Time to stop, power used was nearing the rationed amount and it was good enough.

Then he heard it, the chattering sound.

Ianto froze in place.

The sound came again, and he tried to figure out where it came from, but couldn't pin-point the direction.

The sound echoed through the trees, a call and repeat.

There was more than one of them. There was a rustling, a creaking and snapping of branches. To his left he saw a smudge of deep red against the gray and white background of the trees, slinking close to the ground.

The chattering sound grew louder as the creature moved closer.

He dropped the shovel and it landed in the snow with a soft thump as he struggled to get the rifle off his back.

It caught on the bulky coat, and for a few precious seconds he took his eyes off the creature to get a better handle on the situation. The rifle came free and he held it ready, watching the thing as it moved from one tree to the next, seeing only snatches of red.

He glanced around the area, trying to keep the creature in sight. It was the only one he could see.

He took a step backwards, and raised the rifle.

The thing stopped for a moment, and raised its head.

There wasn't much of a shape to make out as it was partially hidden behind a tangle of branches, but green eyes glinted as if they were lit from within.

They stood watching each other for a long time.

Ianto's breath appeared as clouds in front of him.

He saw nothing like that coming from the creature.

It started moving again, and in a few steps it was out of the trees, standing before him.

The creature was taller than he had imagined. Its legs were submerged in the snow, but its torso cleared it by two or three inches. It had a wolf-like head with a snout too long in proportion to the rest of the skull. Its body was long and weasel-like, and he caught the motion of a long bushy tail.

It raised its nose to sniff the air.

Then it opened its too large mouth, and screeched.


	38. Chapter 38

38

Ianto jumped at the sound.

He took another step backwards and this time peered through the sight.

Whether the thing was truly dangerous or not was not up for debate.

The very sight of it and the sound of that screech as it echoed through the trees and into the distance enacted within him a deep, primal fear.

 _Kill it._

 _Kill it._

 _Kill it._

He could think of nothing else.

The creature took a few steps towards him and he pulled the trigger.

There wasn't much of a kick, but it had been a long time since he'd had any practice.

The thing didn't react to the crack of the rifle or the puff of snow that popped up six inches away from it. Ianto grunted in frustration. He took aim again, and the creature moved, bounding across the snow.

He fired again, this time missing by a wide margin. Damned sights were off.

Then he turned and ran.

He didn't get very far.

The beast slammed into the back of his knees and he fell face first into the snow.

The impact knocked the air out of his lungs, and as he struggled to inhale, he felt a sharp pain in his calf.

His scream was strangled, barely fuelled by the minute gasp of air he had managed.

 _It's biting me._

 _The bastard is biting me,_ he thought in disbelief.

It made grunting, snarling noises as it tried to chew through the thick fabric of the snow pants, and as it thrashed its head it snapped his trapped leg back and forth in a way that he was sure was going to dislocate his knee.

He tried kicking at it with his other foot, but it side-stepped his flailing leg and continued to jerk and trash its head.

Then the real pain hit.

Its sharp teeth had made their way through the pants and were now in his leg. He screamed, and tears burst from his eyes. His arm swung, meeting solidly with the thing's side, but it didn't faze the beast.

He could feel its teeth in his calf, and it was on its way to actually pulling out a chunk of flesh.

He flailed around, crying out again when his arm rose up over his head.

It connected with the creature's skull with a crack and it let go of the leg for a few exquisite seconds.

It shook its head and squealed, yellow spittle tinged with the red of his blood flew from its jaws.

It lunged towards him, but he was ready.

There was a crack.

Its skull connected with the arm again and his shoulder recoiled, knocking him backwards onto the cold packed snow.

The creature collapsed on him, jaws snapping and still snarling. He felt wetness, and he didn't know if it was blood or saliva, but the creature's movements quickly weakened.

As it stilled, he pushed it off himself, groaning.

The creature twitched and snapped, its green eyes glinted, and then it was still.

Ianto looked down at himself.

He was a bloody mess, covered in whose blood he wasn't sure.

His leg throbbed, and when he tried to move it sent alarms of protest to his brain.

He struggled to stand, and finally using the rifle for support, he did.

Breathing hard, he looked down at the thing half buried in the snow.

Lucy was barking furiously and he could hear her banging the glass door.

He could also hear something else.

The chattering rose from the trees on all sides.

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The SUV was taking the corners at speed and Tosh was hanging onto the panic handle as she tried to stay in her seat, the icy road not helping.

Owen's teeth were bared as he screamed into the airport car park, scanning for Jack and he slid the vehicle into a No Parking Zone, pushing open the door and standing up on the running board to look over the roof at the throng of people.

"JACK!"

Jack was running, his luggage unimportant and as Owen slid into the front passenger seat Tosh had vacated Gwen gave a soft sob.

Tosh's glance at her left her in no doubt that she was in deep shit.

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Frantically glancing around, he could see red fur, bushy tails, and green glinting eyes in the trees.

On the ground, in the branches.

Where the hell had they all come from?

They swept down from the tree line chattering and snarling, sniffing the air, a wave of reeking fur and glittering eyes.

Ianto turned to run, and his leg made him think twice.

He hobbled up the shovelled driveway.

The stairs were just there, only a few more steps.

He fell.

Screaming in frustration, he struggled to his feet.

There wasn't time, he knew there wasn't any time, but he looked back.


	39. Chapter 39

39

The first of the creatures had converged on the body of their fallen comrade.

They sniffed at the corpse, and snapped at each other.

Then they began to tear into the body, red blood and fur began to fly, and the squeals and screeching became frenzied.

They all seemed to be interested in the feeding frenzy, all except one, who locked eyes with Ianto.

He stared into the glaring green eyes.

The eyes narrowed and the thing lowered its head.

"Shit," Ianto hopped backwards on one foot. "Shitshitshitshit-ohshit."

He suddenly found that his bad leg wasn't that bad.

Ianto took the steps, skipping every other one, rushed across the porch, and slammed into the glass door.

The door wouldn't open.

He rattled the door handler and threw his weight against it, before remembering that the door opened outwards.

He pulled the door open, stepped inside and slid across the bare hardwood floor, his wet boots finding no purchase.

He lost his balance, tilted backwards, and arms flailing, he fell.

Bursts of light flashed across his field of vision when the back of his head slammed against the floor.

He struggled to roll over, and through floating black spots he watched as the storm door slowly closed on its pneumatic hinge. His pursuer flew up the steps, across the porch, and slammed into the storm door so hard that the glass rattled in its frame.

The force of the impact pushed the door closed, and after hurling itself against the glass a few times, the beast stopped and glared at him.

Ianto groaned at the pain in his head, and the pain in his leg. The world tilted and blurred, and he stopped to rest his forehead on the floor.

He could hear the creature outside squealing and chattering, throwing its body against the glass, and when he managed to look up again, he saw the glass had cracked.

Lucy was alternating between barking and whining, not sure if she should be the aggressor or the defender.

Ianto pushed himself into a kneeling position, then crawled on hands and knees to the door.

The creature watched his progress from the other side of the glass.

As he drew closer, it reared up on its hind legs.

Ianto had an image of the creature – the monster – working the lever with its human-like paws and opening the door.

He scooted forward and slammed the inside door shut.

Then rising painfully on his knees, he turned the lock.

The wound on his leg burned like fire as he pulled himself to his feet.

Once fully upright, the world tipped sideways and darkened around the edges.

He wondered if it was just the wound making him faint, or if he had a concussion.

 _Probably both._

When the darkness faded away thanks to the nanites working overtime, though the world stayed a bit off kilter, he hobbled to the backdoor.

He pushed the blinds aside and saw that the creatures hadn't returned to the back yard yet.

The lock was still engaged, but he wondered if the glass would hold if those things decided to start hurling themselves at it.

Lucy came up behind him sniffing at his boots and bloody pants.

Ianto looked down at the bright red splotches, and the black edges in his vision appeared again.

He closed his eyes and leaned against the wall, breathing deeply as tears sprang to his eyes.

What was he going to do?

They were out there.

One of them had bitten him.

What if it had rabies?

Or some other nasty disease, its mouth didn't have a very sanitary look about it.

What the fuck were they?

Why did he feel deep in the back of his mind he had seen one before?

But where?

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"Jack, you are going to kill us all" Gwen finally yelled as the SUV cut a corner, barely missing a truck coming from the other direction.

"Shut up" he snarled, "Or someone _will_ wind up in the fucking ditch!"

Gwen looked to Tosh for support but Tosh was looking at her laptop, ignoring her.

"They have cages of some sort" she was informing Jack, "Why would they have animal transport cages?"

Jack gripped the wheel tighter, "Get those satellite images!"

"In thirty minutes I will have a clear window" Tosh barked, "Just bloody drive!"

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The noises were getting louder, the creatures were on the deck again, padding around, brushing against the walls.

It sounded as if there were fewer than the night before, or maybe in the hard light of day it just sounded like less. Either way it was a far from comforting sound, and he began to wish that Jack was there.

 _Hell, I wish anyone was here. Why did I have to be here by myself?_

Ianto pushed himself away from the wall, and hobbled to the bathroom where he dug around in the cabinet below the sink for the first-aid kit.

He sat on the closed lid of the toilet, and peeled off his boots and snow pants, pressing his lips closed so only a high-pitched whimper of pain escaped.

There were several puncture wounds in his calf oozing blood, and there was a tear in the skin about two inches long.

Luckily, it didn't look like any skin was actually missing. The whole area was starting to bruise from the force of the thing's jaws.

He closed his eyes again, feeling hot and clammy at the same time.

 _Breathe deep and don't pass out. Please don't pass out._


	40. Chapter 40

_40_

When the ringing in his ears stopped, he opened his eyes again, inspected a leg that didn't look any better, and popped the latches on the first-aid kit.

There were band aids – lots of band aids – a roll of gauze, and a few sterile pads. He looked from the supplies to his leg, and back at the kit. "God damn it."

He would just have to make do as the nanites were still trying to clear the head wound.

There was a bottle of hydrogen peroxide in the cabinet over the sink.

He awkwardly lifted his leg into the bathtub, then taking a deep breath, poured the entire contents of the bottle over the leg.

Lucy whimpered along with him as pink tinged bubbles rolled off the leg, and hissed into the bath tub.

Then he took the sterile pads, placed them over the gash, and wrapped the gauze around his leg.

Medical tape in place, a few of the larger band aids on some of the puncture wounds, and he inspected his work.

Finally, he heaved himself off the toilet and opened the medicine cabinet over the sink.

He hop-hobbled up the stairs to the loft to get a fresh pair of pants and socks.

The entire time the creatures sat outside, chattering and snarling, occasionally thumping against the walls and the deck.

"All right, Lucy," he said the dog. "Guess we hunker down here?"

The dog wagged her tail at the sound of her name, but didn't answer his question.

And a good question it was.

How long could he stay here?

How long would the creatures stay?

He hobbled back to the foyer and retrieved the rifle.

It smelled of spent gun powder.

He went back to Jack's desk and took the box of rounds out of the drawer.

After all that he settled on the sofa and listened to the things outside.

His arm couldn't do much more, not without eating into power reserves and he had no idea how long this standoff was going to be.

Using a sling from the first aid kit, he bound his arm in the hopes of power saving.

If it did any good or not, he would know within a few minutes as his implants hummed softly in his mind.

God, he wanted Jack.

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The SUV sat ticking on the side of the road as the team huddled around Tosh's PDA, Jack lurching against his safety belt to see and Tosh considered telling him to simply release it but then she looked back down and squeaked as she recognised what Mainframe was cleaning up through the servers.

The Unit General was kneeling, looking into a crate the size of a dining room table and another man approached with a plastic bag.

"What' in there?" Jack whispered as the grainy footage replayed from the Unit server Tosh had managed to crack, "Food?"

"That's the bag of clothes from the bunker" Owen frowned, "Stuff from you and Ianto that had been in the laundry basket."

"Clothes" Jack repeated, "Why would they want ….. oh gods."

The crate had swung open and the beast had emerged, following the pink shirt being shaken at it.

"Oh Gods" Jack swung back around to start the SUV again, his teeth showing in a grimace as Tosh watched with horror.

"What is it?" she whispered.

"Death" Jack sobbed with fear, "Creatures from the bowels of Hell."

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Hours passed.

By the clock on the wall it was 5 PM when the chattering and snarling ceased, the thumping eased, and he heard the creatures leaving the deck with a pattering of footsteps that would almost be endearing if he didn't know what was making the sound.

After ten minutes of silence, Ianto left the sofa and carefully pulled the curtain away from the window beside the front door.

It was already getting dark; shadows were creeping in from the trees, but he could make out the trampled snow and a red tuft of fur from the dead creature in the yard.

Around it the snow was darker, and though he couldn't perceive the colour in the gloom, he knew it was blood.

Maybe some of it was even his.

He dropped the curtain and considered.

How long until they came back?

Where were they?

Where did they go when they weren't terrorizing him?

They had come out of the trees this morning, but the thing is, they hadn't been there before.

They just appeared.

He shook his head to clear the questions.

None of it would help him now.

The main problem was he didn't want to stay here another night.

He couldn't.

Even on medium power save he knew he wouldn't make it to lunchtime tomorrow.

He was draining faster as the nanites healed slowly, their power also waning.

Screwed.

Good and proper.


	41. Chapter 41

_41_

Ianto was still considering options.

He could get the truck down the drive, but would it make it through the last few feet he hadn't dug out?

And if he did, what then?

The road hadn't been cleared yet, and he didn't want to be stuck in a truck in the middle of the road at night.

Sighing at the dull throb in his calf, he went into the kitchen and pulled a box of cereal from the cupboard and ate a few handfuls before feeding Lucy.

Neither of them had eaten during the day while those things were out there.

He hadn't even thought of being hungry until then.

he changed the batteries in the flashlight, and refilled the kerosene lamp, checked the wood stove where the fire had burned so low there was nothing left but a pile of warm ash.

He looked at the small pile of wood by the back door, and sighed some more.

It wouldn't get him through the night, and he was too scared to go out there to get more.

Lucy stood by the back door, doing her doggie pee-pee dance.

She had to go out, but he was afraid to let her go. The dog whimpered more loudly, and pawed at the rug in front of the door.

 _Dog's have better perceptions than humans. She would be able to smell if those things were still out there, right?_

Finally, he gave in.

The light was leaving, and it was better now than later.

He pushed him away from the door and lifted the latch. The sliding door squeaked on its track as he pulled it open and he winced at the sound, but undeterred Lucy squeezed past his legs as soon as the opening was large enough.

He watched as she ran down the steps and squatted at the side of the deck, marking it. The scent of the vanished creatures wafted into him, and he gagged.

Lucy ran around the side of the house, leaving his sight.

He shouted for her, and the dog appeared a few seconds later, sniffing her way back through the snow.

Ianto held the rifle with a death grip until she was close enough to grab and shove back inside.

He was pulling the door shut when he heard something.

He paused, listening.

A low rumble.

The scrape of metal on asphalt.

Snow plough.

Ianto pulled the door shut, rushed to the front of the house, and peered through the window there.

His breath fogged the glass, and he wiped the cloud away with the palm of his hand before leaning in again, holding his breath.

There was nothing for a long time, and he was afraid that he had imagined the sound.

Then through the window he heard it.

The engine of the plough and the sound of the blade scraping through the snow and across the black top.

"Yesyesyesyes," he whispered into the glass, fogging it up again.

He waited until he could see the headlights of the plough through the trees before moving.

He put on his boots and coat, ignored the snow pants.

Hat, gloves and scarf.

Keys.

They were in the tray next to the phone charger.

He grabbed Lucy's leash, but didn't clip it to her collar.

They could move more quickly if she was unleashed.

He stuffed his cell phone into his pocket, and picked up the flashlight.

He called for Lucy and she happily followed him to the front door.

Ianto turned the dead bolt, and the little thumb lock, and then slowly pulled the door open.

There was a sucking sound as the weather seal let go of the door.

The glass in the storm door was covered in web of cracks, but was still in one piece.

He pushed it open, and again, Lucy rushed past, her nose buried in the snow. Ianto shooed her along, towards the Jeep.

His boots crunched and slipped on the packed snow, and more than once he found himself flailing his arms to keep his balance.

The Jeep seemed so far away, but he was pulling the handle in less than a minute.

Snow that had accumulated during the night fell from the roof in a sheet.

"Get in," Lucy did as she was told, and he clambered in after her, shutting the door with a slam.

More snow slid off the driver door window.

Ianto fumbled with the keys, finally pulling his glove off to get a good grip.

He put the key in the ignition and listened to the engine turn without catching. "You gotta be fucking kidding me!"


	42. Chapter 42

_42_

Ianto stopped cranking the engine, took a deep breath, whispered a prayer to a god he didn't quite believe in, and then turned the key again.

This time the engine caught and the Jeep rumbled to life. Relief flooded through him; his shoulders relaxed, and his head didn't hurt so much.

Until he turned on the windshield wipers.

There was a droning noise from somewhere in the front of the cab, but the wipers refused to move.

The tension in his shoulders returned.

There was too much snow on the windshield.

The wipers couldn't compete.

"What now?" he asked.

Lucy only looked at him.

He couldn't very well drive anywhere like this.

He leaned over and dug the scraper-brush combo out from under the passenger seat, pushing Lucy's nose away from him as she tried to "help".

He turned on the headlights and took a look out of the driver's side window.

The world in front of the Jeep lit up as if it was daylight, but the world beyond was quickly becoming indistinct as the world grew darker.

"All right," he said. "Stay. Don't move."

He turned the heater on blast, and opened his door.

Over the sound of the engine and the heater he couldn't hear anything else. He pushed Lucy back as she tried to follow him, and shut the door, glancing in every direction.

He gripped the scraper tightly in both hands in case he needed to use it as a weapon.

Seeing nothing out of place, he began to brush the snow off the windshield.

It was loose and powdery and he barely needed to use the scraper.

If there was anything to be glad about the last two days it was at least there had only been snow, no ice or sleet.

He was finished with the driver's side and starting on the passenger side when he heard the chattering rising up out of the dark, surrounding him.

He froze, barely moving his head to look around.

He couldn't see anything, but they were there.

He hurried around the front of the truck, catching a glimpse of green eyes glowing in the dark just beyond the reach of the headlights.

Lucy whimpered from her seat when he jumped into the cab.

With the windshield cleared and the brights on Ianto could see the creatures approaching, hunkered down and slinking, their long limbs folded up under their bodies.

Their eyes glinted in the light and most moved away from the beams, sliding along the sides of the Jeep, but a few maintained their course.

Ianto put the truck in drive and slowly pressed on the accelerator.

The truck inched forward.

He was afraid to go any faster, for fear that the tires would spin, and he would end up in the deeper snow on either side of the path he had cleared.

His hands gripped the steering wheel, and he was trembling even though the cab was warm.

The creatures in front of the truck moved out of the way.

He could see them baring their sharp little teeth at him, but any noises they made were drowned out by the engine and the blast from the heater.

Ianto leaned forward, intent on the cleared trail, focusing only on the five feet in front of the Jeep.

He was almost there, almost to the end of the drive way where the snow shovel still lay, and the cleared track ended.

He stopped.

The creatures stopped with him.

There was a very real possibility of getting stuck in the snow.

The one lucky break was it appeared the snow plough hadn't piled snow against the end of the drive. If he hit a snow bank like that it would be like slamming into a brick wall.

The creatures crept closer, and Ianto decided it was now or never.

He reversed, and slowly backed up.

The creatures moved backwards, watching him.

He buckled his seat belt and urged Lucy down onto the floor of the cab.

She barely fit, but did as she was told.

He put his foot on the gas more firmly than before. The tires spun on the packed snow then, found traction. The truck lurched forward, and hit the snow covered section with barely a shudder.

One of the creatures leapt onto the windshield as he cleared the driveway.

Ianto screamed as the thing bared its teeth and scrambled at the glass. On instinct he slammed his boot on the brake pedal, jerked the wheel, and instantly knew it was a mistake.

The truck skidded on the last bit of snow from the driveway and careened across the road.

Ianto tried to correct, but it didn't matter.

The vehicle was out of control, and it slid across the road.


	43. Chapter 43

43

Ianto had never believed that your life flashes before your eyes at the moment of death.

And it didn't happened to him.

Hadn't yet.

What did happen is everything slowed, every second stretched out for minutes.

Lucy huddled on the floor of the truck.

Ianto's hands squeezed the steering wheel.

The reddish black furred creature glared at him through the windshield as it slid away, inch by inch, freed by the laws of physics, its eyes full of insane hate.

And he wondered at that.

Why would it hate him?

The truck slammed into a tree.

Lucy yelped.

The breath exploded from his lungs as the seat belt locked across his torso.

He managed to take a breath before looking around.

The engine was still running, though it was making more of a coughing than rumbling sound now.

From his vantage point he could see that the right front of the hood was crushed inwards.

Lucy was whining, but he didn't have time to check on her.

Something was scrambling across the roof of the Jeep.

He could hear the claws scraping across the roof, making a sound far worse than nails on a chalk board.

He looked up, and tried to track the sounds with his eyes.

They were scrambling about, clawing at the roof, and at the doors. There was a thud as one of them landed on the hood of the Jeep.

The beast on the hood started scratching at the windshield, searching for purchase, a way to get in.

Ianto jumped and cried out as another body hit the truck, this time the driver's side door.

Lucy howled.

The beast on the hood reared up on its hind legs and threw its body forward, landing on the windshield with both of its front paws.

The glass sagged inwards, still intact, but not for much longer.

Ianto could feel cold air seeping in through the cracks.

One more time, and it would all cave in, spraying pellets of safety glass all over the interior of the Jeep.

Then they would be in, and there would be nowhere for him to go.

Lucy scrambled on the floorboards, unable to make up her mind as to whether she wanted to attack the creatures or hide.

She barked, howled, whined.

The sounds she made competed with the rising screeching and chattering surrounding them as the creatures descended up on the Jeep.

They jumped up and down on the roof, threw themselves against the doors.

They were in the bed of the truck, hammering on the back window. The truck rocked and shook under the assault. The one on the hood opened its mouth, exposing the yellow fangs crowded in a way that seemed impossible.

It raised a single paw, and slammed it into the sagging windshield.

As he expected, the glass gave.

It sprinkled across the dashboard and his lap with a magical tinkling sound.

The creature on the hood screeched with delight, and stuck its head through the opening, its jaws stopping inches short of his face.

Ianto cried out again and tried to jerk away.

The air vibrated, and for a moment, Ianto was sure it was him screaming, filling the air with sound, and terror, shaking the very fabric of reality.

 _This is what it was like when you die_ , he thought.

But he stopped screaming, and the world continued to buzz.

The hair on the back of his neck stood up, the air crackled with electricity as if there were million static discharges zapping across his skin.

Lucy doubled down on the howling.

The creatures surrounding the truck froze.

The screeching and scrambling claws stopped.

The one staring at him, so close to his face he could smell its fetid breath as a dribble of saliva dripped from its half open mouth on to his hand, flicked its ears.

He could see the fur standing up along its body.

The electricity in the air intensified, the static shocks became painful.

The creature in the windshield backed away, catching some fur on what remained of the glass.

The scrabbling sounds began again, this time as the creatures scrambled to jump from the roof and the bed of the Jeep.

In the failing light he could see them loping away at an incredible speed, heading for the trees lining the road.

The electrical buzzing in the air stopped, as if a switch had been flipped, and the ensuing stillness was oppressive in its weight.

Even Lucy had stopped whining and howling, and Ianto didn't dare move.

They were still out there, waiting for him, he just knew it.

What was that?

It had preceded them, and it had called them away.

Called them away.

Someone was controlling them?

Ianto's last conscious thought before he went into power save shutdown was that someone had set them on him like pet Rottweilers.


	44. Chapter 44

_44_

A bright blue light appeared, flooding the road.

The bare trees cast long, black shadows in that light, and in the shadows something moved.

Ianto was still in his seat.

Around the truck, in the trees and farther away, the sound of the creatures snarling and screeching filled the air.

Ianto didn't hear the sounds the creatures made, and Lucy's howling.

In an instant, it was over.

The blue light blinked out.

There was a bang, like a thunderclap, and then absolute silence.

Cold air seeped in through the shattered windshield and snowflakes slowly drifted towards him.

Lucy began shuffling around, trying to climb into the seat next to him.

It was almost fully dark now, only one of the headlights was working, and in its weak beam all to be seen was the ghostly trunks of the trees.

The only sound was the wind whistling softly through the windshield and around the truck, and far in the distance, almost inaudible, the sound of the snow plough: engine rumbling, the blade scraping at the snow.

Jack stood panting heavily as he lowered the weapon, too afraid to approach the Jeep as he looked at the carnage.

He had brought him out here to be safe.

To be fucking safe.

Owen's voice sounded like it was echoing underwater a Jack stumbled towards the Jeep, dropping the weapon in the snow.

No sound, save the gasping of his own breath as he reached the corner of the vehicle and looked at the carnage.

Then the door swung open and Lucy was running, barking and leaping as she seemed to count crow on the bodies of the things that hadn't escaped quick enough.

Ianto's feet appeared, as he struggled to escape the wreckage and Jack was there, laughing through his tears as he held him against him, feeling the strong solidness of him.

Ianto let his head fall onto his shoulder and breathed him in, safe.

Safe.

Owen was there touching, talking quietly as he removed the satchel from the Jeep with the recharger and Jack was carrying him, gently lifting him into the SUV where Tosh was sitting, reaching for him with a look of love.

Gwen was crying, wringing her hands and Ianto wanted to tell her to shut up, she was being so annoying but he was so tired, the need to shut down immense.

"It's OK Baby" Jack whispered. "Power back down, it's OK, I have you now."

He had moved around to change seats with Tosh and Ianto found himself being pulled into his lap, feeling arms holding him, smelling that safe musk of his Cariad.

Lucy sat staring at Gwen like she was one of those things, her lips peeled back as Gwen blinked back with shock.

"Lucy" Jack said softly and the dog slowly averted her gaze, looking out the window instead.

They pulled into the Unit Camp and Jack tightened his hold on Ianto as Owen got out of the driver's seat and walked stiltedly to the rear of the SUV, opening it and dumping several carcasses in front of the assembling soldiers.

"Since you have a lot of mouths to feed, I thought I would bring you some fodder for them. Seems these ignored your whistle" he smiled sweetly as one made a low moan, dropping to his knees as he reached for the head of one. "That one? That one went a foot into the air when we shot it, screamed like rabbit."

The man looked up at Owen with open hostility and Owen puckered up.

"Owen!" Jack yelled from the SUV, "HOME!"

"Ta ta" Owen crowed as he shot back into the driver's seat and the window slowly glided up, closing to have those shocked faces looking at themselves in the mirrored glass.

"Epic" Owen hissed with glee as he turned the SYV towards the hub.

"How is he?" Tosh asked softly and Jack didn't answer, stroking Ianto's hair as his head lolled on his shoulder.

"Is he completely shut down?" Owen asked.

"No. He's twitching, like dreaming" Jack sounded so sad, so distant.

"I am so sorry" Gwen whined, "This is all my fault, you know I would never hurt Ianto. The General said …"

"If you want to work for Unit, go right ahead!" Owen tossed over his shoulder and Gwen looked down at Ianto's clasped hands in his lap.

"I didn't think" she whimpered, "I wanted … I wanted to be important. To help. I was so stupid."

"It's up to Ianto to decide that" Jack finally said, "If he forgives you, I will try to as well."


	45. Chapter 45

45

Ianto woke in his bed safe in his room in the hub and he shifted to his side to find he wasn't alone in the bed.

"Hey Luce" he whispered to the setter who blinked back calmly.

"Thank god!" Jack said from the doorway, "The bloody dog won't get down and I thought you would never wake up to tell her that's my side!"

Ianto grinned and raised an eyebrow at her, then snorted with mirth as she groaned and rose gracefully to exit Jack's spot.

"She knows it's your side, she also knows she isn't allowed on the furniture." Ianto yawned and stretched, "She just doesn't care."

"How are you feeling?" Jack sat on the edge of the bed and reached for Ianto's hand.

Ianto noted the fact that he didn't seem to choose or hesitate when reaching and his cyber hand closed gently over Jack's.

"I'm fine" he began, "Glad to be warm, I was so damned cold."

Jack leaned in and kissed him, reveling in his softness and yet he knew he was strong bough to break his body in two.

"Where's Gwen?" Ianto asked after is seemed the clutch was going to linger.

"Sent her home, thought a time out might calm things. Owen was fashioning little nooses out of dental floss out there!" Jack whispered and Ianto snorted at the image.

"Good, I don't want to look at her for a while" Ianto agreed, "I might throttle her."

"She meant … god. Listen to me about to defend her. Strike that, rewind and erase, yeah? I'm so angry right now I could shoot her myself" Jack snarled.

"And I know that feeling on the other end of your barrel" Ianto reminded him softly.

"She almost cost us you!" Jack said with anger as he held Ianto tighter.

"And I only almost destroyed the world." Ianto quipped, "Of course, how silly of me to compare her terrible crime of having only half a brain."

Jack snorted despite himself, still so easily swayed by Ianto's heart and sighed, "OK. A week, then we talk about it. We let it fester and get all pus-like then. Lizzie has taken care of Unit, put a right flea in their ear about you too, fiery little girl. Maybe I should give her Gwen, been a while since Lizzie shot anything, I bet."

Ianto laughed, that deep bray Jack loved so much and he grinned into the dimly lit room. Jack's body reacted and he groaned, just looking at him. He wanted to touch him, needed to feel the passion he'd come to desire like a drug.

Hardening, almost painfully, at the thought of touching his soft skin and wrapping himself in his softness, Jack tried to reign in his randy body.

He moved from the bed and started to remove his clothes, then climbed naked back onto the bed and Ianto wrapped his arms around him, brought Jack's mouth to his, his body atop his and rubbed their hard-ons against their bellies.

Jack moved his lips down Ianto's neck, trailing hot, wet kisses all the way.

Ianto tried to wrap his arms around him, hoping to bring him closer, but Jack pushed them away, anchoring them both above Ianto's head with one of his hands. All the while he continued the magical rubbing of his fingers with the other.

Jack trailed wet, searing kisses all the way down Ianto's body then slid between his legs. He released his hands, so he could tease and play with his dick and gently knead his balls with his hands. His tongue made circles and curly-queues in and around the navel and continued on. Then he was there probing and teasing with his tongue.

Ianto's eyes flew open. "Oh. My. God..."

His voice trailed off as he continued the pleasurable dance with his tongue.

Ianto dug his hands into his hair and pressed his head closer to him, afraid he would smother him, but afraid if he let go, he'd leave him unfinished. He was so close; the burning deep within him was rising to touch every nerve.

Ianto's hands were suddenly above him gripping the headboard, his teeth clamped together to control the scream rising in his throat. The sun exploded and all its rays shimmered down upon him even thought they were underground. He bucked and twisted but Jack's tongue never stopped its sweet torture as he palmed those lush balls.

As he began to return to his senses Ianto was still extremely sensitive and, as he soon discovered, ticklish.

He continued to tease with his tongue.

Ianto smiled and began to move Jack's head away, but he continued as if he had not touched him. Ianto giggled at first and then laughed. Soon he was begging for him to stop and laughing at the same time. Ianto continued to giggle and buck under him. He kept to his task and the fires within Ianto began to build. He no longer giggled but moaned, begging for him not to stop, screaming Jack's name, as wave after wave of pleasure washed over him.

Lifting himself over Ianto, Jack plunged into the slick wetness. "Gods, you feel so good, so right. I don't think I'll ever get used to you."

He buried his face in Ianto's neck and nipped at him while he stroked in and out of the warmth. Ianto met each thrust, bringing him deeper and deeper. With one last hard thrust he buried himself deep within him, throwing back his head, shouting his name.

A long while later, after he'd regained his senses; he rolled over, bringing Ianto with him, then pulled him close in his arms and nuzzled his neck.

"You're right" he whispered, "No comparison, not really."

Ianto hummed happily as he basked in the afterglow.


	46. Chapter 46

46

"If you two love birds have a moment" Owen snarked in the doorway, "We have incoming. Looks like a ship, travelling way to fast to be loitering in our solar system, looks like it might hit somewhere in the barrens."

"Shit" Ianto and Jack yelped at the same time as they struggled off the bed and Ianto reached for his clothing as Jack offered each piece like it was epic.

Owen's soft pat on his shoulder in passing meant a lot to Ianto and he paused to acknowledge it before they headed up.

"So that blue light, the weird noise like thunder …" Ianto started to ask as they walked.

"Dinner bell. Like a on/off switch for the things" Owen nodded, "They had conditioned them to exit or enter their holding pens by it."

"Fuckers" Ianto said under his breath but Owen caught it and grinned at the unusual display of anger.

Tosh stayed at the base to run interference in case Unit smelt the crash. After the last few days of fun Jack didn't want to see a single red cap or he might have to shoot it's wearer.

They finally got to the crash site and Jack swore softly as they stood at the crater, looking down into the hole. The moon was full, giving a fully lit guide to the craft that lay damaged beyond repair and they were soon sliding down the face of the crater to get to it.

"Not picking anything up that might like … you know … kill us" Owen declared with obvious excitement and Jack reached out to key in a universal distress override, opening the hull.

They found the ship to be vented, mostly intact and the occupants dead.

Three crew members lay on the floor, their damage apparent in the blood and gore that had Owen curse and wave his arms at the uselessness of the matter.

"Let's salvage what we can, take the bodies for examination then borrow that front end loader back at the roadway to cover this up" Jack sighed, "What a bloody mess."

They worked quietly, all lost in their own thoughts when Ianto placed a hand n what appeared to be some sort of suitcase.

It was metal, had rounded edged and was almost square, it was warm to the touch, not cold as you would expect metal to be and as Ianto drew his cyber hand across the top it seemed to change colour like a mood ring.

It was thrumming.

"Jack?" he said softly, "This vibrates."

Jack turned to look at what Ianto was patting and paled, "Get it out!"

"What?"

"Rip it out, shit! I should have seen it sooner, get it out of here, now!" Jack yelled, turning to Owen and ordering him back up top.

Ianto had it in his arms, ripping it up and seeing cables and wires attaching it to the vessel, he looked over at Jack with open confusion as Jack cried out.

"Quick Ianto, the ships been without power for some time, it will be powering down, get it out!" Jack was almost frantic and it spurred Ianto on, pulling it free of its cradle and he turned with it on his arms, waiting further orders.

Both men struggled to the opposite side of the crater and then away into the dark, leaving Owen standing there with open fear, unsure if he should follow or head to the bullet proof SUV. Jack hadn't said and eventually he decided to err on the side of safety, running for the safety of the vehicle.

"Place it down, carefully, god" Jack was nervous and Ianto thought for a moment that it might be a bomb. Something Owen obviously considered as well with the curse words crackling in the coms.

"Is this the part where the thermo-nuclear power cell blows up?" he called down but got no response listening to Tosh as she assured him that there were no reading s of imminent 'blowy-uppy' happenings.

"Ianto" Jack crouched and then placed his hands on Ianto's that rested on the box "This is ... this is a chryo unit like the others. But this is what is called a pod. Or …womb."

Ianto paled as he looked back down at it.

"For a pet?" he asked was raw hope, knowing the answer as Jack's face fell further.

"This may be an embryo, a forming baby or a fully formed baby not yet due to breathe the air of it's home planet. These are used when the pregnancy was not complete but for the safety of the unborn, they put them in there, to be reinserted into the Motherling at the other end of the journey. Making sure the baby is in status, not born in the fragile space." Jack sighed, "It may already be dead, or it's dying. If we open it, it would die."

"If we don't, it dies anyway. Right?" Ianto replied, "No power."

"I'm coming" Owen puffed as he ran hell for leather towards them, knowing Jack had done this to save him from the pain of losing another patient, the sorrow of watching a life flutter and fail but he also knew this would harm Ianto as well. "I'm almost there guys."

Jack nodded and they stared at one another, open fear of the unknown stilling their resolve, then Ianto took a deep breath and his cyber hand ripped it opening, not giving the locks any time to fully engage.

Both men looked down, full of dread and wonder.

A baby.

Still. Pale, naked and so perfectly formed in a sack of fluid was a baby.

"Oh god" Jack whined, "It's dead isn't it."

"He" Ianto said flatly.

"It's a boy."


	47. Chapter 47

47

"Shit" Owen knelt and reached out to delicately touch the membrane bag, the baby not responding and Ianto looked at Jack with horror.

Then Ianto reached out and placed his cyber hand on the sack, watching as the liquid started to respond and change.

"You touched the box" Jack whispered, "As it started to shut down, you touched it and something in your hand must give off an energy similar to their metabolism."

"What does it mean?" Ianto asked softly as he watched the liquid start to colorize.

"It means it went from shut down to ….oh gods" Jack shuffled closer and they watched a tiny hand open.

Ianto cried out and acted without thought.

He seized the tiny boy, his finger bursting the membrane and pulling the baby out into their world.

"IANTO!" Owen screamed, "It might not breathe our air, it might …."

A weak kitten-like cry silenced him as Ianto shakily held the tiny body in his hands and they watched a little mouth open to cry again.

"Well. Seems to be breathing" Owen muttered as he reached for the baby and it responded as if in pain.

"Careful, it's bonded to Ianto's cyber hand, these creatures feed off energy" Jack warned softly, pushing Ianto's hands back together.

Ianto was entranced, cooing softly as he looked down and then he looked at Jack with horror, "It's too cold. The box was warm, what do I do?"

"Well, for want of a better solution, I say stick him inside your shirt against the skin" Owen shrugged, "On the shoulder that your cyber arm connects to."

Jack helped Ianto open his shirt and pull out the singlet to let the baby slide inside, then Jack watched a tiny hand rest against the cyber connector as if it were a cuddly.

"Awwwww" Jack crooned, "Those fingers are so tiny."

Does he look OK?" Ianto's eyes were wide with worry and Jack nodded happily as he gently pulled his coat off and slid it around Ianto's shoulders and buttoned it up with Ianto's arms inside, like a straight jacket.

"Come on sweetheart" Jack said softly, helping Ianto to his feet and they walked to the SUV.

"Me in the back with Ianto and the bub" Owen said as he raced ahead to climb in and help Ianto up without arms to steady himself. Owen now knew why Jack had acted like that, thinking the poor little thing had died on impact and knowing Owen's hatred of such loss. He also knew that he would do anything necessary to help keep him alive, whatever Ianto had done, it had both saved the tot and scared Jack so much that his hands were shaking.

Jack drove back and then helped Ianto out as Tosh waited excitedly to see the tiny tot.

"Look, he's only the size of a puppy" Ianto whimpered, letting her pull the folds of coat apart to peek.

The smell of jasmine filled his senses and he grinned at her as she gushed.

"Come on buddy; let's get this guy into the light for a better look at him." Owen said, pushing him gently.

Ianto sat on the bed and they carefully undid the clothing, not even caring that his clothes were ruined from the fluid the baby had been covered in.

"Is he stuck to me?" Ianto asked worriedly as he tried to crane his neck.

"It's OK" Owen crooned, holding a warm towel, "Just lean forward and we can see how we are going"

Ianto complied and he felt the stickiness as the baby slid onto the towel and his little eyes sprang open to stare up at Ianto.

"Oh my god" Ianto sighed, "Look Jack, he has blue eyes like me."

"Conditioning" Jack said softly as he wiped Ianto's chest gently to remove the gunk, "To adjust to the parental it sees first, in order to match. He thinks you are his parental."

Ianto's answer was to grab the baby back and clasp it to his chest while looking at Jack with open begging in his eyes.

"Best he stays where he is happy" Jack said softly as he closed the folds again, "Tonight will be the tell. We try some formula and let him sleep. If he survives through the night, he might make it."

Ianto cuddled the tiny body as he took in what Jack was saying, "You mean he might still die?"

"Yes love, we have no guarantees, he is so very small." Jack said sadly, placing a hand over Ianto's, "He's a little fighter to have got this far, let's try a bottle and see, yeah? If he doesn't take to the earth milk we might have a problem too."

Ianto hadn't considered that and his face fell as Jack moved closer to cuddle them both gently.

"One step at a time" Owen agreed, "We take this hour by hour, yeah? Gonna be a long night and Ianto here is the best incubator we have. Let's settle him in bed with the bub, see where we go from there."

"Heath" Ianto barked, "He's going to live. I've named him. He has to live now!"

"Oh Ianto" Jack sighed softly.

"No, that's what you do!" Ianto was frantic now, "We did with a sickly puppy or kitten, Mam always said that if you name them the angels will help them more, like a boost. We always did and they always survived. If we didn't know about a litter until the next day the little one always died nameless. So … he's Heath. I've decided!"

"Heath, the baby boy" Owen said softly.

Heath, another word for Moor, we found him in the moors, he's named for his place of birth!" Ianto said firmly, "He will be funny, clever and strong."

Ianto then looked at Jack and waited, the raw hope tearing at Jack's heart.

"Yes. Welcome to our world, Heath."


	48. Chapter 48

48

Owen crept into the room with open fear, the silence unnerving and he expected the worst.

Both men were in the bed, Jack holding Ianto as Ianto clasped the infant to his chest and his eyes were closed in repose, still asleep with the little boy.

Jack looked up at Owen and Owen raised his eyebrows in silent question, getting a soft grin in return.

Heath was still alive then.

 _Jesus H Christ on a Harley._

Owen sat and gently pulled back the blankets to see a tiny face peering back at him and he couldn't help but grin at the huge eyes filling the face.

"Hello darling, are you hungry?" Owen crooned, holding up the bottle and the eyes immediately fixed in on it, making Jack huff softly with pleasure as the little one showed that he remembered what it was from the two feeds he had received in the night.

Jack reached for the bottle and awkwardly managed to angle it for the baby and little noises of suckling filled the room as he sucked for all he was worth.

"Aw, he was pretty hungry" Owen sighed, "Sorry little one. Looks like we need to alter the feeding times. You really like that huh?"

Ianto finally woke and looked down, his face lighting up as he reached for the bottle, relieving Jack who was able to rotate his wrist as he grimaced at the cramping.

"Good morning Heath" Ianto crooned, "Are you hungry baby?"

Heath grunted around the teat and continued sucking.

"Did you hear that?" Ianto whispered with awe, "He answered me."

"Coincidence" Owen snorted, "Far too young to know what you are saying."

"He's not an earthling, how do you know the development of this fella!" Ianto bristled and Owen raised his hands with surprise.

"Hey, I'm not bagging him, calm down" he laughed, "Jesus mate; you're going all mama bear on me there."

"Sorry" Ianto said with a grin, "I just … he's so small. David and Micha were little babies and I thought… but this is so much more than that. He's like ….he's so small he's like a little miniature version of a boy. Is he always going to be so small? Were the parentals smaller than us?"

"Easy" Owen laughed softly, "I've not had a good chance to look at them, been sorta busy with a certain young man but they did seem smaller than us. Like under five foot."

"Oh" Ianto relaxed, "So he's not too small for his kind, maybe this is the normal size. I'm just flapping a bit, aren't I"

"It's OK" Jack crooned softly, "You want him to be OK, it's OK if you want all the answers even if you haven't got all the questions yet."

"So much has happened in a short time" Owen said as he patted Ianto's arm, "Lisa. Your great reveal and then bloody Unit. The cabin is still so raw and now this. You are feeling a bit out of control, you need control back and you are feeling like you need to be pushy. It's OK, I will answer any that I can."

Ianto smiled and settled against Jack as the little boy finished his meal and Ianto offered the bottle to Owen, watching little eyes following its motion. "He's still hungry?"

"No, maybe it's the comfort" Owen said softly, "Maybe they nurse a lot, he might want the titty."

"Do we have a binky?" Jack asked and Owen shook his head in the negative then rose.

"I'm going shopping, see what there is for tiny tots and get some gear. A binky too, if I can find one small enough" Owen informed them, "I would take Tosh but Gwen is still out."

"Oh god, I don't want to talk about her" Ianto shivered, "I still need to process what she did, even if she says she didn't mean it. I don't know if her level of brain power is safe around something so delicate."

"What a polite way of putting it" Jack sighed, "I love her, you know I do but if it comes to a choice I will retcon her arse, you know that, right?"

Ianto hummed happily at the show of support, snuggling against Jack as he gently patted a tiny back and the burp was loud in the silent room.

Everyone laughed, Ianto carefully kissing the little face as he crooned that it was a very manly burp.

"Ianto, he might not …"

"Don't' you say it" Ianto hissed at Owen, "don't you dare fucking say it!"

"Easy, I was going to say be wet ya twat, he might not be dry. We fed him before changing his wee nappy" Owen said softly, rubbing Ianto's arm to show that he wasn't taking it personally.

"Oh god, sorry" Ianto sighed.

"Right, be right back love, just checking on Tosh" Jack leaned in and kissed a shocked Welshman who blinked.

Jack wandered off as Ianto looked at Owen with a raised eyebrow.

"Guess he sees you as the little lady then" Owen shrugged and Ianto frowned, and then poked out his tongue.

Owen grinned and poked his back, then left to get some baby stuff, leaving Ianto to happily tend to the wee mite.

At least the little one was taking his mind off things, the last few months fading away as Ianto found delight in a little snuffle or pout.

One thing Owen did know for sure.

This one wasn't going to be let go easily.

But did Jack realize that?


	49. Chapter 49

49

Ianto was clipping the wee clasps together on the little outfit he and Tosh had purchased, still whispering apologies for having gone shopping and leaving him behind. He had come back to find the little one awake and alone, totally losing his shit at Owen who was pointing out that the monitor and CCTV in the corner of the room.

Ianto knew he had over-reacted slightly but that was not the point, the point was that Heath was alone.

He was scooping the tiny boy up to his shoulder when he heard someone coming down the hallway and he looked up with surprise when he saw Owen entering.

"He OK?" Owen asked as he lifted his hand to show the bottle.

"Sorry I overreacted" Ianto sighed, "I don't know why I am being so defensive, I just …he's so tiny and needs so much. I know I'm smothering him but he is just so adorable. I've not felt this way in a long time, this …needed."

"He does seem to rally whenever you have him" Owen grinned as he watched those huge eyes latch onto the bottle approaching, "He is so clever."

"He knows when I'm awake, even if I lay really still" Ianto was gushing, "Like he must know the change in my breathing or something."

"Ianto …" Owen tried to say something but was finding it unsavory and Ianto canted his head as he waited for him to speak.

"I think … I think he's going to make it." Owen tried again and Ianto shone, "But … I don't know if Torchwood is the best place for him. This place, it kind of changes you. Jades you. He needs somewhere that's a real home. He needs sunlight, fresh air and like... a garden or something. He's not a pet and even the bloody dog gets a walk."

Ianto blinked at Owen's anger and realized it was not directed at him but the situation so he nodded as he considered.

"I'm hoping that when he's stronger we can have a front pack modified for his tiny body. Like, you can get them for dolls, my niece had one. He is small but strong, I think he's strong. I think he can have little walks topside, if I keep him covered with a jacket." Ianto was explaining as he lifted the little boy to his shoulder in order to burp him, "I know he will always be small, but delicate and sickly are two different things."

Owen nodded and watched those little fingers seek the arm, sliding into the armpit as the baby sighed happily. Owen was struggling to say something but didn't seem able to say it, making Ianto curious.

"I need a burp mister, not a sigh" Ianto scolded gently, "Come on Heathy, Burp for Tadda Ianto."

Owen froze and looked up with surprise as Ianto looked lovingly at the little one, smiling as he whispered to him to stop being a stinker and burp already.

A tiny expulsion of noise had Ianto giggling as he praised the baby and Owen sighed softly as he watched the deep bond that was growing more each day.

"Awwww" Ianto gushed happily as he lowered the baby and looked lovingly down at him as he rocked him gently in his arms, and started to sing softly.

Owen rose and carried the bottle back up, deep in thought and Jack brushed past him, pausing to look down at the bottle.

"He's had his bottle, yeah?" he grinned, "Ianto settling him to sleep?"

"Yeah" Owen grinned, "Ianto is a natural mama."

"Yeah, all our little inmates would agree with that" Jack snorted, patting Owen in the shoulder before moving on towards their room. Owen turned to watch him go with a heavy heart knowing what was about to happen, what he hadn't been able to warn Ianto about.

Ianto was sitting on the edge of the bed, watching the baby sleep in his little bed and he looked up with his face full of joy, making Jack's dick harden.

"Ok Sweetling?" he asked softly, stepping close and feeling a spike of pleasure as Ianto snaked his arms around his waist and buried his face in his chest.

Jack stood rubbing soft circles on Ianto's back and whispered, "How's your leg feeling?"

"Good, not even a twinge" Ianto muttered, nuzzling against him and Jack hummed happily.

Jack stroked Ianto's hair for a while, enjoying the cuddle and then Ianto drew back to look up at him with open question, "Did you come down to molest me or was there some reason?"

Jack laughed softly, "Actually yes. I have just been in touch with a ship, going to be in this quadrant in the next cycle."

"What does that mean?" Ianto asked as he started folding the other clothes into a drawer.

"That this time next week, he'll be on his way to his home planet" Jack said with pride, "He will be fostered out in no time, they might even find his extended family for him."

Ianto's hands had stilled while listening and he looked up at Jack with open shock, "What? What do you mean going home, this is his home. Here with us."

"Ianto, you know the rules. We don't keep those we can send home" Jack scolded softly, "Now come on. Think of the life he would have here, stuck in this hole. It's not safe, not friendly and definitely not baby friendly. This is the only way to give him a normal life. With his own kind. He's not from here."

"Neither are you, but I have never complained" Ianto bristled as he rose and stepped around Jack to look down at the sleeping boy again.

"Ianto" Jack sighed, "I'm sorry. You know this is for the best. If you can think of a better solution, go for it."

Ianto sat staring into space long after Jack had left, his stomach full of rats, churning and biting at him like those fucking things out at the cabin.

Ianto jolted as if electrocuted and stood bolt upright, turning in a small circle with alarm.

He had to do something.

He had to choose.

Looking down at the tiny child he knew that either way, he would never be able to reconcile the heartbreak that he was about to endure.

His mind made up, Ianto started into action, pulling out the baby travel bags and starting to remove the clothes he had lovingly placed in the drawers, tears rolling silently down his face.

He took a shuddering breath and kept going.

Time to grieve later.


	50. Chapter 50

50

Ianto was walking through the hub with Lucy on a leash and the laundry bag.

"Going up? Lingerie and haberdasheries?" Owen asked cheekily and Ianto smiled softly, his eyes not joining in as he nodded.

"Lucy needs to go potty and I need to drop this off at the cleaners" he hefted the bag and looked up as Jack walked out of his office.

"And where is the baby?" Jack asked softly.

Tosh clicked her mouse and the screen showed the little impromptu nursery, the baby in the bed asleep.

Ianto opened his jacket like he was showing there were no weapons and asked Jack if he wanted to frisk him. He leer more of a snarl than a smile.

"I didn't mean it like that" Jack sighed, "I'm sorry baby, I know you've grown attached but these are the rules. He can't stay here."

"I understand, honestly I do Sir" Ianto sighed softly, "You said so yourself. This hub is a death trap for one so small, he needs sunshine and fresh air."

Jack smiled and nodded, then Ianto suddenly let go of the leash and ran up the stairs to kiss Jack, holding his face in his hands as he poured his love into it.

"Ianto" Jack sighed.

"I love you" Ianto whispered before pulling back, "Always."

Ianto then walked back down and picked up the leash, looking back at Jack again before leading the dog out and Jack was left watching his back retreating out the roller door.

That had felt so …..

Jack slumped against the railing and looked down at Owen who was glaring up at him in silent rebuke.

"I know" Jack said angrily, "You think I don't feel like a first class bastard right now? If I could let him keep him I would. Gods, a baby in this place is a bloody recipe for disaster. He'll forgive me, I know it will take time but he will get over this."

Owen nodded silently and looked back at the screen where the little lump in the bed seemed so alone.

Ianto got to the first level and turned left, heading for the closed parking garage, not the bay and Lucy followed with excitement as she realized this meant a car ride, not just a boring walk.

Ianto opened the door of the car and let her jump in, groaning as she settled on the front passenger seat's plush covers and then he shut the door and opened the back door, hefting in the laundry bag, then walking over to the small butler elevator often used for transporting weapons and such to the archive levels.

He opened the slide and leaned in, pulling out the baby bags and the capsule, with the sleeping tot inside, then he carried him to the car and belted him in, retrieving the bags and climbing into the driver's seat.

The tears were still rolling and he couldn't stop them, so he chose to ignore them for now, Heath needing him to be strong.

He drove sedately up into the street and headed for the nearest shopping mall, finding a quiet corner to park and then he let his head fall forward onto the wheel and we wept for a while, hating himself, hating the situation and missing Jack already.

He got a hold of himself and looked around, watching a young woman leap from a nice big SUV and running for the mall, a phone on her hand as she laughed and waved to someone.

He slid out and approached, checking the door and finding that he was correct in her forgetfulness, finding it unlocked.

He transferred his things and the baby, the dog last and then calmly hotwired it, turning into traffic as Lucy excitedly smelt the vehicle over, so new and exciting to her.

He made his way across Cardiff to another mall, where he parked and repeated his performance after making some purchases with the baby strapped to his front in a tight sling, keeping an arm in there as if the sling was for that reason.

This time he got a 4WD a station wagon.

He then headed out of town and checked the capsule repeatedly, then pulled over once his little one woke.

He fed Heath in a lay by, cuddling him tightly as he wept and the little eyes seemed to well up in sympathy as if the little boy knew Ianto was hurt in some way.

Once Heath had settled back in his capsule, sucking his tiny binky as he dozed, Ianto climbed back into the driver's seat and took a deep breath.

He put it in drive and moved off putting more space between himself and the only happiness he had ever known.

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Owen checked the time and rose to get the bottle, finding Jack already heading for the kitchen.

"I still feel like shit" Jack sighed, "His face, the way it fell when I told him. Gods, I knew he was getting too attached."

"Like I said, so much sorrow and horror, all he has is you to cling to and you aren't exactly that reliable are you" Owen snorted as he pulled the bottle from the microwave and Jack blinked at him.

"What is that supposed to mean?" he demanded.

"I care for you … kill her or I kill you both …. I care for you …. I'm gonna take the baby away you have just bonded to …. I love you …." Jack stood staring at Owen who stopped talking and turned to face him, "Sorry. I didn't mean that. You don't love him, just care for him. You've never let him think he had any claim to your heart. Can't be easy. Poor bugger has never been loved has he … apart from that little soul who thinks he is his mother."

Jack looked morosely at his feet as he considered, "You think it was mean to take the baby? I … you think I want to break his heart? I know Ianto is attached, I know it's breaking his heart but he is strong, more resilient than you think."

"That's one word for him" Tosh said sadly as she stood in the doorway for the kitchen with a doll in her hand, "Another word is self-sacrificing."

"What do you mean?" Owen asked as he looked at the doll.

"I was going to change Heath before his bottle and this is what I found in the crib. The baby is gone, as well as most of his stuff. Looks like Ianto has taken Jack at his word with the whole, not here in the hub thing."

"Shit, you scanned the whole place?" Jack asked, knowing the answer.

"Gone" she said flatly, "Ianto has obviously taken your decision as a sign that he is not important enough to be allowed to keep him. You didn't even give him a chance to offer an alternative. He's decided otherwise."

Jack felt the blood draining from his face as he recalled the way Ianto had kissed him, the sorrow in his face.

He wasn't mourning the baby, he had been morning the loss of him.

Jack was running as he frantically called out for Tosh to get to her workstation.

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Ianto was exhausted and when he pulled up he took a few moments to just sit and breathe.

Lucy whined softly as she stared out the window and then turned back to look at him with silent reproach.

"I know" he whispered, "But it's the last place he will look. Come on, we need to get inside before its dark and we start freaking each other out."

He opened the car door and she jumped out, gingerly picking her way around the yard and smelling the ground for signs of intruders.

Ianto took a moment before getting the baby out and looked up at the cabin with a mixture of dread and satisfaction.


	51. Chapter 51

51

Ianto was pleased to find the cabin as he had left it, everything familiar and it was suddenly more than a safe haven.

It was a home.

Could be.

Right?

Heath was snuffly so Ianto placed the capsule on the sofa and started to make up the grating, starting a fire to warm the room.

Soon the fire was roaring and Lucy was laid out snoring, her belly exposed to the heat as Ianto sat cuddling the tiny tot in the corner of the sofa.

He should eat.

He had plugged in the charger and plugged himself in, settling back as the little boy's head lolled back with sleep, a snore escaping that had Ianto smiling softly for the first time.

He laid the baby in the capsule, then tipped it back to form a cocoon for the little one to sleep, glad now for the space that made it more of a cradle than a seat.

He decided that he might eat after, sleep first.

He closed his eyes and thought he might just snooze for a few minutes before rising to sort a meal for himself.

He was soon in a deep, troubled sleep.

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Jack was beside himself as he went over and over the last conversation, the look of misery on Ianto's face as he had stepped away from him after that kiss.

He should have listened, he should have seen that he was pushing him into a corner.

Jack swallowed down the desire to scream and looked over at Tosh who was furiously banging at her keyboard, then over at Owen who was standing looking morosely at some test results on his screen.

"The latest blood works don't look good" he said sadly, "Little Bit isn't producing enough enzymes to break down Phenylalanine."

"What is that?" Jack grimaced.

"Phenylalanine is an amino acid that is needed for normal growth and development. If a baby's body does not have the enzyme that changes phenylalanine into another amino acid called tyrosine, the phenylalanine level builds up in the baby's blood and can cause brain damage, seizures, and intellectual disability." Owen explained as Jack paled at the thought of Ianto alone with a fitting baby, "The damage caused by phenylketonuria commonly called PKU can begin weeks after the baby has started drinking breast milk or formula. Babies with PKU need foods low in phenylalanine to prevent severe brain damage. Phenylalanine is found in most foods that have protein, such as milk, cheese, and meats."

Jesus, so … with diet it can be controlled?" Jack asked and Owen nodded.

"Oh god, Ianto doesn't know" Tosh said with horror, "he has a little boy that could be sick and he's so afraid of losing him that … oh god."

Jack hadn't thought it possible to feel any worse but now he did slump onto the sofa in the hub and started to weep softly at the thought of Ianto alone somewhere and finding the little one seizing or worse still, dead.

"We need to find him" Jack finally said, "We need to save him."

"Are we talking about the baby or the man" Owen asked.

"Both" Jack sighed, rising and rubbing his face with frustration.

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..

Ianto woke to find the baby fussing so he rose and threw more wood on the fire, then scooped him up, watching the way he wrapped his little limbs around the cybernetic arm, like it was somehow comforting him.

Ianto offered him a bottle but he wasn't interested in it and Lucy padded over to sniff at the baby with open concern, looking at Ianto for guidance.

"I don't know girl, Owen might but he's not here." Ianto shrugged and after a while he had a brainwave, disconnecting the arm and letting the baby have it.

He was able to rise and go into the kitchen to get himself something to eat, put food in Lucy's bowl and he found the clothes basket where he had left it, the sheets that had come out of the dryer still bundled in there and he carried it under his arm in to the living room, then went back for his food.

He then carefully scooped Heath and the arm into the basket, watching the little fingers stroke the arm livingly.

Ianto sat back and ate some potato crisps, telling himself that in the morning he would have a healthy breakfast.

He checked Heath and covered him carefully, pleased that the arm was giving him some comfort.

He then sat back and wished he had Jack so he could hold him like that, gain some comfort but that was a thing of the past.

He always knew it would come to this, sooner or later he would find himself in a cold bed. He always thought Jack would leave him for his Doctor or some a nice piece of tail, it had never occurred to him that he would be the one to go … without dying.

He looked done at the baby and sighed softly.

He would die a thousand deaths for this one.

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My dearest SD4IANTO I do not smirk ... I may giggle and leer a bit but I do love your reactions and input xxxx


	52. Chapter 52

52

Ianto woke to the silence of the country, groaning as he rose and threw wood onto the dying fire before opening the back door for Lucy to escape.

He peeked out, feeling foolish for his fears and then leaving the door open defiantly, knowing as soon as she came back inside he would slam it shut and lock it.

He wondered how they were and looked over at the Torchwood Laptop, also still there from the last visit and after a moment's consideration he opened it, logging in under Suzie's code and watching the hub's CCTV. Owen was gesturing at Tosh and Jack could be seen sitting on the sofa. He looked so forlorn that Ianto ached to comfort him, but then he frowned as he saw Gwen come into frame, a Starbucks bag and tray of coffees as she sat next to Jack with a wide grin.

With a huff of anger he slammed the laptop shut and rose to stare morosely out the window.

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Tosh sighed and looked away from Owen's rant to see a small light blinking on her alerts, then as she clicked onto it the connection died.

Suzie?

Tosh felt a chill before remembering that Ianto knows everyone's codes and she checked to see how long he was on and what he had been looking at. She groaned softly as the Gwen part happened and she looked over at the sofa with anger.

"I told you not to come in" Jack was snarling as he rose to escape Gwen.

"When Owen told me that Ianto wasn't here I knew you needed me here" she simpered, "I brought coffee and donuts."

Owen snatched the bag off her and peered inside, choosing one and dropping the bag on the table before storming off. Tosh waited and followed him to the kitchen where he was standing glaring at the coffee machine.

"Ianto was just online" she said softly and Owen swung to look at her.

"Did you tell Jack?" he demanded and she shook her head as she explained what he had been watching. "Ah fuck."

Owen stepped forward and patted her arm, "Leave it to me darling."

Then to both their shock, he leaned in and kissed her gently, then shot away with a soft grin.

Tosh placed her fingertips on her lips and smiled.

Wishing she could tell Ianto.

"Right! Tosh said Ianto was just checking on us and saw her majesty here and her gifts!" Owen said without any preamble, "It was only for a moment so she couldn't trace it but he definitely saw that you seemed comfortable without him."

Jack turned to Gwen and glared, "You. Once again you've upset him. Just go, you are still on suspension."

Gwen hesitated as she was going and turned back, "Who's Heath? I heard Owen say something about Heath and Ianto? Is that his lover?"

Jack roared at her and she squeaked as she stumbled for the door with shock.

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Ianto felt a bit woozy so he sank on to the sofa and checked the baby, still asleep with his giant cyber arm teddy. With a yawn Ianto settled back and closed his eyes, listening to the birds outside, then wondering how much feed there was for them. He added bird seed to his mental shopping list, worried about them now.

Heath was making little squeaks, alerting him to his awareness and probably wet bum so Ianto retrieved his arm and connected it, feeling the pain of the clipping as well as a sudden surge.

He could have slapped himself.

Of course he was feeling sick, the cyber arm is what kept the nanites happy and him alive. He had let Heath have it too long _, only short bursts idiot._

Ianto scooped up the bub and went to change his nappy, finding him saturated so he rose and decided a little bath might be the go. Soon the little boy was staring at Ianto with shock as he sat in the sink of warm water and Ianto laughed as the little eyelids slid shut with delight while he enjoyed the sensation of being back in liquid. Supporting him with the cyber arm in the water, he could literally see the little boy growing stronger and he grinned happily as he crooned softly, swishing him and watching delight cross the tiny face.

 _He had to focus. For him, he had to be strong._

Ianto dried the wee boy by the fire and laid him on the mat, Lucy happy to share the warmth with him and he stared at the flames as he tried to clear his head.

He missed Jack and it ached worse than his arm.

So quiet, but it had been lately anyway with it being weeks since their last mental connection.

Ianto stared at the flickering colours and despaired. It may have been better if he had leapt into that furnace, if Jack had stepped aside and let him go, rather than this torture of knowing his love, only to have to tear himself away.

He looked at the snoozing tot and chastised himself.

He would not have been there for Heath; the little boy might not have survived his shocking entrance to the world and died a cruel death in that crash.

There were no answers in the flames and Ianto leaned back against the sofa as he sighed softly.

How can there be answers when the questions are so raw.

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"I didn't think this through" Jack said suddenly, startling the team, "Did I."

"Jack" Owen sighed, "Ianto always questioned your love. You know that. You had that daily mantra thing right? The reinforcing of your bond thing you did with your minds?"

Jack grimaced as he admitted that things had been so hectic that they had been sort of falling in and out of bed, especially since Heath came along.

"So our emotionally retarded T-Boy, who constantly needs reassurance that he exists, has been pushed aside and then you tell him, right after a horrible experience that almost took his life ….again … that you love him. He gets something so precious that he thought he would NEVER have, then you take the only thing he thinks really does love him" Owen summed it up, "After all, the dog is still reserving judgement."

Jack flopped back and sighed sadly.

Owen was right.

Talking about throwing out the baby with the bath water.

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Sandylee007 your comments DO brighten my day xxxxxx


	53. Chapter 53

53

Ianto was tired, despite having just recharged and he sat forlornly staring at the sleeping tot, hoping he would wake soon for a little bit of loving.

Lucy had slunk onto one of the sofas and was resolutely ignoring him as she snored softly.

Ianto ached for Jack, like a raw wound.

Even though they had not been connecting mentally, the smell and the touch had been enough. He now knew that he would survive the separation, as he already had but he also know that he was going to feel worse before he felt better, no longer having Killer Alien Unit Rat Dogs to distract him was making the silence and the great vastness of the cabin and surrounding woods have an echoing feel to it.

Ianto thought about food and dismissed it, then thinking about Heath's bottle and he rose to prepare one just in case, his internal clock telling him that the feed was due. He found himself staring out the kitchen window at the snow, looking at the table and chairs on the deck as he wondered which chair Jack sat in.

Ianto as re-entering the lounge when he saw tiny hand waving, his heart swelling as he bent down and grinned at the baby, then a wave of fatigue washed over him and he sat on the sofa with a puff of air, chastising himself for not eating something.

He just didn't have an appetite. Jack usually pushed him to …

Last time, he had known that he and Jack were OK, that Jack was coming for him and that they would be together again. This time he knew he had ruined any chance of getting Jack's love again. He knew deep in his heart that if Jack found him, there would be no forgiveness. He would lose Heath and probably his own freedom as Jack punished him as he should have in the first place.

Maybe he was destined to be a lost soul.

Ianto held the tiny boy and wiped the tears away as they fell on the tiny face, large eyes seeming to beg him to be strong.

But god his loss did ache.

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Jack was standing by Tosh's chair as they tried to look for Ianto, when it hit.

He found himself on his knees, tears streaming down his cheeks as he struggled to breathe through the immense waves of grief that assaulted him and Owen was there holding him as he wept.

"Easy mate, take a breath" Owen was saying softly as Jack did just that, only to howl with sorrow.

"We'll find him, it's OK, we will find him" Tosh was there as well, trying to help comfort the bereft man who was crumbling to the floor, his howls ragged as though his guts were being torn out.

Owen scrabbled for his desk and pulled open a drawer, removing a syringe that he swung and plunged into Jack's shoulder.

Jack slumped and Tosh looked at Owen with shock.

"What. I always have one there, never know" he shrugged as he helped her lay Jack on the floor. "Poor bastard."

"Close enough for the bond" Tosh said softly, "I think he was openly searching for Ianto at the same time as Ianto was thinking of him. A psychic slam."

"Yeah, their stupid brains." Owen huffed, "I wanna bash their heads together. Wait, how far can the bond stretch do you think?"

"I don't know" she rose and straightened her skirts, "they never tested it."

"When we were heading for the cabin, how long before he started that soft growling thing?" Owen asked and Tosh shrugged as she replied that he had from the airport.

"So … we take that distance and make that our search area, a bed and breakfast maybe? Where might he be, somewhere close to shops for that little man, somewhere he feels safe" Owen muttered as they went back to the search, leaving Jack to sleep off the hypodermic.

.

.

.

.

Ianto had placed Heath in the bed, was on his knees gripping the arm of the sofa as he took deep breaths, his eyes shut as he felt the waves of pain. Then they were gone and Ianto was left shaking with fatigue as he tried to work out what the hell had just happened. For a moment he thought that it might be Unit again, frantically scrambling to his feet before realising it had been Jack.

Last time there had been a heightened fear that had made him almost irrational and he had wondered at the time why he was so afraid. Now he knew.

The bond.

It was still there and just as Jack had projected fear and worry last time, this time it was grief and loss. Ianto sank to the sofa with the shock of awareness.

Jack loved him.

He really did.

Ianto checked that Heath was asleep and then he lay back on the sofa and closed his eyes, experimentally sending a loving wave at Jack, hoping it comforted him in some way as the ache in his gut lessened.

.

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.

.

Jack moaned softly, rolling onto his side and curling up as Tosh knelt to rub his back and soothe him.

He felt it.

 _The soft stroking of his face, the murmured love that he usually woke to down on their room._

Ianto was thinking of him, missing him and loving him still.

He struggled to his feet and tried to glare at Owen but he knew it had been all that Owen could do so he settled for a hand on the man's shoulder as he took another shuddering breath.

He closed his eyes sent sent back his own loving thoughts.

He felt it.

Ianto responded with relief.

And fear, sorrow, apology.

Jack wiped his face and sighed as he whispered to the bond, "I miss you too."


	54. Chapter 54

54

They had exhausted all the B&Bs, motels, hotels, camping grounds and eventually they had to call uncle, admitting that Ianto was not keeping to the populated areas as they had thought.

"He has to be somewhere he can recharge as well as care for Heath" Jack pointed out, "Let's start looking at rental properties. Maybe the local real estate agents, he might have somewhere like …"

"I already tried that" Tosh sighed, "I circulated his image saying that he was my brother and our mother was ill. Nothing."

"shit" Jack slumped, "I don't .. I mean. He could have somewhere we don't know about. A family …."

Jack staled out and then swung to face Tosh, "family. What about Rhia? I know she and Ianto are a bit estranged but maybe there is an old family property somewhere. A farm house or something."

"He wouldn't go to the county though, not after what happened at the cabin, right?" Owen asked and they all shook their heads as they went back to staring at the map on the screen.

.

.

.

.

Ianto was singing softly to his little boy, rocking him in the arm he was clinging to happily, watching the little mouth pursing into a cupids bow.

The fatigue had passed and now and Ianto had forced down a sandwich and glass of milk, even though he hadn't tasted it going down.

The earlier unfiltered bond had been a wonderful boost and he was now wondering if Jack was actively searching for him or if it had been a coincidence of them both thinking of each other at the same time.

He watched his little one drift off to sleep and slid him into the bed, after a moment's hesitation he slid the arm out, telling himself not to leave himself without it again.

He was humming as he headed upstairs to change into some warmer clothes so he could get some wood in, thinking about the trip into the village soon and how he was going to create a front pack to hide the baby in one of Jack's big jackets.

He pulled on the jersey and started for the stairs again, determined to make it fast and with as little attention as possible, reaching the top stair to hesitate and cant his head as he heard a strange scrabbling sound.

Oh god, were they back?

HEATH

He started to run down the stairs as his heart threatened to leap from his chest, the fear for his little boy spurring him on as he stumbled in his haste at the landing turn that swung around the kitchen area.

.

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.

.

.

.

Jack was standing in Starbucks, waiting on the order when there was a sudden burst of fear coursing through his veins, followed by immense pain and the bond seemed to shut down.

He was running for the hub as though the Tardis was waiting for him, his heart slamming around in his ribcage and screaming for Tosh and Owen.

"Are you sure" Owen repeated.

"Of course I'm' sure, it was Ianto. Afraid and in pain. Something bad has happened!" Jack was beside himself as he chastised himself for pushing Ianto away, for not realising the terrible series of events he had set in motion and now for whatever was happening.

"Scan the entire grid again, something, anything" Jack was unable to stay still as he paced, "Look for an accident, or fire, or something. Fuck. Something."

.

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REBOOT

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.

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.AQUIRING

.

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DAMAGE DETECTED

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ALERT

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SEEKING CONNECTION

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SEEKING

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The laptop screen surged into life, images and code filling the screen as the Cybernetics sought help for their host, reaching for the only thing that they had successfully bonded to in the past.

Mainframe was alerted and immediately went into emergency mode, shutting the hub down and starting the klaxons as she searched for Ianto, Owen on his knees as he yelled at Tosh to stop the noise and Jack holding the nearest screen like a drowning man clinging to a life preserver as Ianto's schematics flashed past followed by co-ordinates.

"Tosh!" he yelled, still shaking the screen as though it might produce more.

"Oh my god" she gasped, "Jack! He's back at the cabin. He's had some sort of injury. He's out cold and the cybernetics are detecting damage but won't specify."

She turned to face him as she spoke and saw that he was already running for the doors, not even stopping for his coat and she followed Owen, hooking the coat from the rack on the way past.

.

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.

.

.

Lucy whined softly, nuzzling the prone man as he lay crumpled at the bottom of the stairs. She had stopped the frantic scrabbling on the floor tiles in the kitchen as she had struggled to hook out the morsel of dog food that had skittered across the floor from her bowl.

He was so still and so cold.

She looked over at the little one, still sleeping an unaware that his only means of survival was currently out for the count and she wined again.

Finally she lay with Ianto, snuggling herself as close to him as she could, as if aware that he was cold so far from the fire and in need of her help.

She watched the door expectantly for help to come.

As last time, the man in the coat would come.

Right?


	55. Chapter 55

55

Ianto was warm and he shifted in the bed, nuzzling that familiar neck as he breathed Jack in.

"Hush darling, go back to sleep" Jack crooned as he rubbed slow circles on his back and Ianto hummed softly, exchanging the nose rubbing for his lips as he kissed his beloved.

"Oh Ianto" Jack sighed, opening the bond to let his love flow over them both and Ianto breathed deeply as he joined the love-fest, pushing against Jack as he felt himself glowing inside from the happiness.

"Wha' time isit?" Ianto slurred softly, still lying with his eyes closed and Jack shushed him again.

"It's early my love go back to sleep it's all OK now."

Ianto contemplated that statement as he drifted in his sea of calm and as consciousness grew, so did a niggle that something was going on.

"Jack?" Ianto drew back to look at him with a soft frown, "What's going in? Why are you so sad? What?"

As he looked into his eyes it all came flooding back and Ianto's eyes widened as he started to struggle, wailing Heath's name as he tried to get away from Jack.

"No! No! Ah god, please, no!" he was sobbing as he writhed, then cried out with pain as his broken wrist complained.

"Calm down mate, that's broken and your nanites are doing their thing, just be still!" Owen demanded as Ianto started to weep.

"Ianto!" Tosh called as she rushed to the bed, Heath visible in her arms, "It's OK, he's here. He's right here. We came to the cabin and got you back, both of you are safe."

Ianto collapsed against Jack, overcome as he reached his cyber arm for the little boy and Tosh gently placed the baby between them in the bed.

"It's OK" Jack soothed, "It's going to be OK. I'm sorry, I didn't listen, I should have talked things through with you, and I didn't know you were so invested."

"Oh Jack, please, please don't take him away, please" Ianto sobbed as he held the baby to his shoulder and the little fingers clutched for him.

"How did you do it?" Owen asked and Ianto looked up at him, tears rolling down his face. "How did you get past the enzyme thing. He should be dead. There is no way he should be this healthy with the blood samples I had."

As they watched, the little fingers slid inside the cyber-skin and Ianto shuddered involuntarily.

"What's he doing?" Owen asked as he craned his head to see.

"He likes to stick his fingers inside the coupling" Ianto said softly, smiling at the little boy, "He sort of … clutches at one of the connectors. It sort of tickles."

"Like seeking a form of radiation?" Owen whispered with awe, "he's gaining some sort of sustenance from you."

"Really?" Ianto asked with surprise.

"Seems that way, I guess because he was born so suddenly and so ahead of time, he's using you like a charger or something" Owen shrugged and Ianto laughed softly through his tears.

"I already contacted the ship" Jack said and he felt Ianto stiffen as he tightened his hold on the baby, "I told them he's not going. I told them that I made a mistake and he was OK here."

Ianto took a hitching breath and started to cry again, burying his face in Jack's shoulder as Jack clutched at him and the baby.

"I'm sorry baby, I am so sorry for not seeing him" Jack whispered, "I see him now, I see."

Jack had held the baby in the back of the SUV as Owen had worked silently on the unconscious Welshman in the back, Tosh driving.

Once he was reassured that Ianto was going to be OK he took the time to look at the little boy, noting the blue eyes and the little nose that had started to turn up into a button.

Heath was assimilating, mimicking Ianto and becoming his child.

Jack cursed himself for his stupidity as he looked down at what was becoming a miniature replica of his love. It was the way of this breed to mimic and infiltrate, like cuckoos.

Then he had smiled.

Jack had melted.

Ah damn.

Now as he held Ianto and looked at the baby between them he knew that whatever steps needed to be taken, they would be made with haste. This little family had to endure, his beloved needed this child and he needed his beloved. Therefore, he needed this child as well.

Whatever Ianto wanted.

He still couldn't believe that Ianto had gone to the cabin and he wondered if it might be somewhere they could go again. If maybe Ianto would feel safe there, if their little family might one day feel like a real family.

He opened the bond again, sending loving calm to Ianto as Ianto tried to bring himself under control.

That's when he felt it.

Faint like a feather's touch.

Heath said hello.


	56. Chapter 56

56

"Cariad?"

Jack looked up from the report he was reading and smiled as Ianto stepped through the door with Heath in the tiny front pack, obviously asleep as tiny limbs swung back and forth.

"Hello sweetling" Jack crooned, "Is that big monster not too heavy?"

Ianto smiled softly as he perched on the edge of the desk one hand on Heath's back and the other holding a cup of coffee.

"Oh gods!" Jack moaned happily, accepting a kiss with the coffee.

He was just wondering if Ianto would offload Heath to Tosh for a while for a wee …er …cuddle … when the klaxons sounded and Ianto swung with surprise to see Gwen entering the hub. The growl of annoyance was low but Jack heard it, seeing both hands now clutching at the baby.

"It's OK" Jack reassured him, "There is nothing she can say or do, Heath is ours now. I promised didn't I?"

Ianto nodded, biting his bottom lip as he stepped aside and let Jack walk out to greet her.

"Gwen?" he called out, causing her to stop mid-stride. "Did you forget something? You are still on suspension last time I checked and ….ah … I am the one who put you on it."

Ianto was in the doorway, unseen by her and he stood watching Jack's face, feeling his apprehension through the bond. "Jack."

Jack turned to look at him.

"Have I ever asked you for anything, other than to let me die?" Ianto asked softly and Jack shook his head as he looked at those lovely deft fingers clutching the wee lump, "well, things have changed. I think … no. I know now what I want."

"What Ianto?" Jack stepped towards him and Gwen called out from below, "Oi! What about me?"

"Jack" Ianto whispered softly, his eyes searching his face, "I don't want to die. I want to live."

Jack took a deep breath as he took another step, the bond thrumming,

"Jack. I wanted to die because I thought I could not live without Lisa. Now … now I want to live. But as I thought I would die without Lisa, I think … I know that I cannot live _with_ Gwen." Jack didn't react, his gaze boring into Ianto's as Ianto spoke, "I love you Cariad. I want you. This. Us. She … how can I trust her around Heath? Around me?"

Jack was so close that they could touch and he reached out hesitantly, resting a hand over Ianto's on the tiny babe's back. "Tell me Ianto, tell me what I need to do for you."

"Choose."

Jack blinked.

"I chose for Heath. It tore me apart but I looked at this tiny life and I chose his survival over my happiness. You chose now." Ianto demanded, "Do you choose his life, or hers?"

"It's not like that" Jack sighed.

"Yes it is. It's that simple." Ianto smiled softly and Jack felt the lift in his heart, "I love you. You know I do and I now know you love me. Prove it. Prove how much you love me by choosing. I know it will break your heart, what she means to …."

"No!" Jack barked and Ianto whipped his head back as if struck, "Gods, no, don't. I don't mean …"

Jack rushed to grab him, to keep him focused, "Ianto. Compared to you, she means nothing. Nothing."

Ianto relaxed into Jack's arms and a tiny tot kicked sleepily, woken by Jack's volume.

"Sorry little man" Jack crooned, looking down into big blue pools "I didn't mean to startle you, or … Taddy."

It was like the sun coming out and Jack was not sure if it was Ianto or Heath filing the bond with such heat but it was glorious.

"Owen" Jack called out without turning around, "Implement section 36 Sub-section C."

"About fucking time" Owen called out then blanched, "Oops. Sorry, I'll put a pound in the Swear Jar."

"Swear Jar?" Ianto asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Call it an experiment" Jack grinned leaning in for a kiss and Ianto hummed softly.

"Right" Owen clapped his hands at Gwen, "You are gonna love this. Even Ianto hasn't experienced this before!"

Gwen's face beamed as she followed him to the medical bay, pleased to have one over Ianto as she watched Owen shuffling about.

"So" she said with pride, "Ianto doesn't qualify?"

"Nope" Owen turned back with a look of glee, "You are one of the elite!"

She seemed to puff so much it's a wonder that the seams on her clothing didn't pop and Owen calmly approached her, placing a hand on her arm and then before she could react he pulled up the short sleeve and plunged the needle onto her arm.

She yelped and leapt back, "What the fuck was that for?"

"Sedative" Owen replied, "For the completion of stage one."

"Oh" she said in a small voice as her legs folded and she collapsed to the floor. She was fading out, her world a simple pinprick of light when she heard Owen speak for the last time.

"Stage two is the freezer. Enjoy frozen animation." Owen crowed, "Torchwood for life, yeah?"

Tosh watched from the viewing area, clutching the railing and Owen looked up at her, sharing a nod of satisfaction.

Her look of pride as she beamed down at him worth the effort of having to lug Gwen's body to the chryo-chambers.


	57. Chapter 57

57

Ianto was still in shock over Jack's reaction to his challenge and he was unsure if he should feel guilt or satisfaction.

Looking down at his wee man he decided on relief.

Jack had been talking with Tosh and he walked over to fold onto the sofa next to him, peeking at the little boy asleep on Ianto's chest and crooning as a little pout could be seen.

"He didn't burp again" Ianto sighed, "Little bugger drinking himself asleep and now he has gas."

"When we wakes we will give him a little bit of water, that will encourage one" Jack assured him and he leaned over to kiss his cheek.

"Jack!" Ianto coloured immediately, "Not in the hub!"

"No, I was thinking about that. Was talking with To …" Jack said, then grunted as a very large dog clambered into his lap to check the baby as well, "Gods, me balls. Lucy, shit!"

"Swear Jar!" came a faint yell from the med-bay and Jack poked his tongue in that direction.

"You were saying?" Ianto said calmly, having accepted Lucy's mad monkey moves on Jack long before Jack had, "You were talking to Tosh?"

"Yes. About the cabin and I realised that I own other properties too" Jack smiled, Ianto catching a hint of excitement through the bond, "Some here on the outskirts of town, in the quieter areas. Still close enough for work, but far enough for a bit of yard, somewhere for Lucy to play as well as Heath when he is running about. A swing set, slide and stuff….sandpit … you know. Stuff."

Ianto was staring at him without a reaction and Jack started to wonder if he had guessed wrong, "Of course we can stay here, if you want but I thought … it's boring and he doesn't have his own wee room and …"

Ianto suddenly burst into life and Jack could have kicked himself.

"The Ivy road one!" Ianto demanded, "With the huge hedge and red door!"

"You were talking to Mainframe" Jack laughed softly, "She was showing you some of them, wasn't she."

"Yeah" Ianto grinned, "She likes that one too, Tosh can set her up as security there, keep our wee man safe and monitored."

"yeah?" Jack grinned, "That one is a good one, single level and an attic space that is easily another room. Great storage. Four bedrooms, the kitchen might be a bit dated for you but we can redecorate, anything you want sweetling."

Ianto was beaming as he looked over at Tosh, knowing Mainframe was already giving her specs on the house and she was smiling at her screen.

"Come on, things are quiet, wanna go look now?" Jack asked and Ianto nodded.

"Owen will be back soon" Tosh agreed, "you go."

Owen had gone to 'talk' to Rhys and the retcon would have taken effect by now, the man would be waking to the knowledge that his ex had run off with an American playboy and he was better off for without her. Owen had gleefully tarnished her memory, seeing no shock or true sorrow on Rhys' face.

Although it was not Heath's first trip out of the hub it felt important and Ianto was excited as he sat in the back with Heath, the Cyber arm resting on him in the capsule as he whispered endearments.

Jack couldn't help but keep glancing in the rear-view mirror, loving the intense expression on Ianto's face as he crooned.

"Needs a bit of work" Jack huffed as they pulled up and Ianto craned his head to see past the overgrow hedge which hid most of the house from view.

"How long since someone lived here?" Ianto asked with interest and Jack considered before answering.

"Last tenant was about two years ago I think, I haven't had time to list it or anything" he finally answered, "Come on. Let's get inside."

Ianto scooped the baby into his arms and made for the door, the sleet too cold for his liking and Jack was there struggling with the door. "Stuck, a bit of …"

His stopped talking as Ianto reached past and shoved it, his arm snapping the lock cleanly and pushing past to get his baby out of the cold. Inside was not much better and Ianto huffed as he looked around.

"I know, I said you wouldn't like the kitchen" Jack said as he followed him, the baby starting to cry softly.

"It's cold" Ianto complained, "It needs heating and you are right about the kitchen. Also … I don't like that patio, I want a proper deck so Heath can play on rainy days with the doors still open, speaking of which, this ranch slider sucks. I want French doors!"

As Ianto spouted Jack's grin grew, the realisation that Ianto actually wanted the house filling him with joy. He had been sure Ianto would veto it once he saw how old it was but as he watched Ianto explore he started to see little fingerprints on the woodwork and hear laughter.

This could be a home.

"Make a list and I'll get one of our local builders in, get it all modernised and a fresh lick of paint" Jack gushed, "Whatever you want, we will get it done."

"Really?" Ianto's face was beaming, "Anything?"

"No transmat pads though!" he warned and smiled at Ianto's delight as he swung back to look at the house again, this time with a keener eye.

"If we knock this wall out we can make this a huge room" Ianto was yelling and Jack rushed to see, "Look, make these two back rooms one big master with a walk-in, the this one can be Heath's, still leaves a spare for a wee office as well as a bed for Tosh or Owen staying over."

Jack watched Ianto settle into the place as he started comparing the carpets and curtains, moaning about the lack of continuity.

Ianto could see it too.

Jack watched his love create a nest, their wee cuckoo would be safe.


	58. Chapter 58

58

The renovations happened quickly, especially with Ianto in charge and as they drew to a close Jack felt the soft stirring of fear in the bond, Ianto obviously stressing about the move. He waited until they were in bed, snuggled and warm with no baby demanding attention before addressing the issue.

"Ianto?" he said softly stroking the face of the man lying on his chest in gentle repose, "What's wrong sweetling?"

Ianto grunted and shifted against him, listening to his heartbeat.

"It will be OK. Tell me what is niggling at you, I won't get mad or anything."

Ianto sighed and nuzzled into him for a moment then looked up, looking so sweet that Jack melted a little bit.

"I'm scared"

"Of what love?"

"I know it's silly, I know Mainframe is there and we have so much security in place but …" he looked over at the bassinette and then back to Jack, "I worry that Unit will come for him."

In the days following the Cabin Incident, Unit have been handed their balls by Her Majesty, so to speak. Not only were they told Torchwood was off limits but Ianto was the property of both Torchwood and her majesty under her rule.

Still.

They didn't know about Heath.

"I see" Jack whispered, rubbing the bare back that was so silky smooth, even as Ianto's chest hair tickled against him.

"I just … I know it's irrational but I keep thinking they will storm the place, guns blazing to take him and put him in a little jar of formaldehyde" Ianto snorted at himself, "Stupid, huh?"

"No. No. You are a Tad now, it is normal to fear for your child" Jack assured him, "All new parents have fears."

"I need to let it go, I know, I just... it niggles" Ianto closed his eyes and settled once more as Jack now lay wide awake worrying into the darkened room.

By morning, he had a solution and put it in motion before finding Ianto, in the archives of course, and he was pleased to see a three piece today, showing Ianto's armour fully in place.

"We have to be somewhere" he said softly, trying not to startle him, even with the bond as an early warning system Ianto was a bit vacant as of late and he turned with a soft smile to show he was expecting him.

They headed up through the levels and Jack turned to him, "Heath too. It's an adventure for him."

"Oh?" Ianto asked with surprise, excited that Jack was doing something for the wee mite, "OK"

Heath was soon in his capsule and they were driving for London as Ianto checked him repeatedly and then watched the world flying by.

"I need you to stay calm and follow my lead here" Jack said softly as he started to hit traffic, "This is the quickest way to protect out son."

Ianto was still so shocked by the statement that Jack had considered Heath his as well that it took him several minutes to realise where they were going and he gasped as they pulled up at ornate gate, Jack leaning out to wave to a guard.

"Captain, how good to see you sir" the guard saluted, hitting the button and allowing them access.

They pulled into a covered area and Ianto looked up at the security cameras nervously, gathering his little boy into his arms as Jack led him into Buckingham Palace.

"JACK!" Ianto jumped, turning to find Her Majesty powering along the ornate hallway, moving with speed and vigour.

"Lizzie Love!" Jack boomed, opening his arms with glee and Ianto stood watching as Jack gathered the little lady into his arms and kissed her, rubbing her back. "Where is that handsome man of yours? You hiding him from me again?"

She roared with laughter and slapped at him, then he stepped back, his hands still on her upper arms, "Lizzy. This is Ianto Jones, you've spoke with him on the phone when calling me at times."

She turned to look at Ianto and her eyes immediately dropped to his cyber-arm and the little bundle cradled within. She shuffled forward and gently reached out, pulling back the pretty shawl to look down at Heath.

"He's so very tiny, but quite robust" Ianto said softly, "If you like."

He then offered the baby and she cooed happily as she gathered him into her own arms and walked along with Jack talking excitedly, Ianto wringing his hands nervously as he trailed behind.

The room they entered had a high vaulted ceiling and as Ianto followed he only had eyes for his boy so it wasn't until he spoke that Ianto was aware of the man they had walked to, "What have you got there cabbage?"

Ianto looked up at the imposing figure of Prince Phillip as he peered down at his wife's bundle and his face softened.

"He is an intergalactic refugee" Jack explained, "The vessel crashed and all were lost. Heath here was in a tiny cryo-unit and we were forced to birth him before he died and despite my worst fears he has survived and flourished. He is a Chameleon Bavara. The race co-habit a planet, assimilate to match those there, as you can see he is already starting to copy Ianto here. Lungs were immediate upon meeting out atmosphere, thank the gods, and as he grows he will continue to appear more human."

"So tiny" the prince whispered and then cooed as a little hand seized his finger in greeting.

"Lovely" Her Majesty sighed.

"I wish to keep him" Ianto blurted out, "I fear Unit will want to experiment on him, take him away and put him in a cage. I want to keep him as mine. Ours."

"Well of course you do" the Prince smiled at the Welshman, "Anyone can see the affection you have for the little man. Wonderful. We are in the business of public relations after all, none more than diversity of race."

"Agreed" Her Majesty turned to let Ianto retrieve the child and everyone watched as he whispered endearments while praising him for being friendly, a tiny hand being held up and fingers wriggled until Ianto laughed softly and kissed the palm, then it was tucked back into his chest as he smiled lovingly back at Ianto.

"Tell me what you need" she demanded, "I will sign whatever is necessary to keep him safe with you."

Ianto struggled not to weep.


	59. Chapter 59

59

"Jack?" Ianto was calling out from the bathroom and Jack walked through to see what was wrong, pausing in the doorway at what he found and grinning like a loon.

Heath was in the bath, almost completely submerged with his tiny limbs going for it as he splashed and squealed with tiny squeaks of delight.

"I never thought" Ianto gushed "Always quick washes in the sink with my cast but ... now it's off I was going to have a bath and I saw the way he was looking, I thought I would see what he did!"

"Hand him over so you can get in" Jack offered, kneeling beside Ianto and gently swapping hands so he held him instead.

Heath blinked up at him and then gave a gummy smile of hello.

"Hey there stinker, you being a big water monster?" Jack crooned, watching tiny hands clench and unclench as Heath felt the water around him.

Ianto was naked, stepping in and Jack glanced up, moaning with lust as Ianto snorted and slapped at him while reminding him there was a baby in the room. With soft laughter, Jack swished the tiny tot over to Ianto's chest where he lay like a walrus sunning himself on a small atoll.

"He loves water" Ianto gushed, "Look Cariad. He's a natural."

Jack leaned in for a kiss, both men humming as they connected through the bond and a small flicker of annoyance had them breaking apart to look down.

Heath lay with his lips pursed and a serious expression that melted Jack's heart like nothing he had done before and he leant in to gently and carefully kiss him as well.

"How's that little prince" he whispered and Heath hummed, sounding like Ianto.

Ianto blushed but his delight was evident s the tiny boy mimicked him and Jack laughed as he reached out to stroke Ianto's face and he whispered that he looked so adorable with a baby in his chest.

And another squeak.

Jack giggled as he brushed a tiny cheek with the edge of his finger and crooned that Heath was the cutest baby ever on his Taddy's chest. Jack watched with awe as a tiny blush started and Ianto could only stare as Heath coloured as if embarrassed.

"My god, he has mastered that for sure!" Jack laughed, then leaned in to kiss a tiny head as he whispered that he was a clever clogs.

Heath hummed some more.

"That tiny wee outfit Tosh found, the one with teddies on it, can you find it? It's in his drawer Cariad" Ianto whispered as he swished the water around the little boy and Jack rose to go to the bedroom. With the nursery not yet complete, Heath was still with them and Jack had come to accept that it might not change.

At least he was in his own little bed and Ianto hadn't vetoed hanky-panky, they just had to be quiet.

Jack pulled the drawer open and looked at the tiny clothes, all so sweet and perfectly made. The doll maker must have thought it was her lucky day when Tosh contacted her, claiming to have three dolls to dress of various sizes. He wouldn't have thought of that but Tosh did, knowing that if they went back in three months for a next size up it might set off alarm bells when the next size came later.

The little hats were his favourite things, wee flaps and pompoms some even with tiny embroidery on them. He had one on his thumb and he felt a moment of self-flagellation as he scolded himself for ever thinking of sending him away.

He found the teddy one and laid it on the bed along with baby stuff, then walked back thorough to find their young charge dozing happily as Ianto sang. The acoustics were amazing and Ianto's sweet voice made your very bones resonate.

"Come on Heathy" Jack crooned, "You aren't going to like this bit."

The getting dressed bit always brought tears before bedtime and tonight was no different, tiny screams of rage and balled fists shook at him like a threat as Jack apologised profusely.

Ianto was there scolding and cajoling with his favourite teddy, pointing out the same teddies on the onesie and to Jack's relief the baby stopped to look at what Ianto was talking about, the wide eyes drinking in the pattern as Ianto held the tiny teddy next to them.

"See?" Ianto crooned, "Teddy is famous. He has his picture on your clothes."

Heath craned his head, showing his strength in being able to lift it as he watched Jack ease the feet on, then the legs. Then came the sleeves and he eagerly pushed his hands through to wriggle his fingers out the holes while Ianto pretended to eat them.

Finally came the clips and Jack and Ianto counted each one out loud, Ianto wanted Heath to know numbers.

"Five!" They said on the last one and Ianto grabbed a waving hand, "See? Like fingers. Look Heathy, 1,2,3,4,5."

Heath's eyes followed Ianto's finger as it tapped each finger, ending with the thumb at number five.

"See? Taddy and Daddy have five too." Ianto smiled, "Five."

Heath pulled his hand back and stared at it like he was trying to understand then he wriggled his fingers and smiled, placing the hand against Ianto's.

"That's right darling" Ianto crooned, "We have the same hands."

Jack had washed the bath out and cleaned the bathroom, returning to find Ianto filling in the baby book as Heath lay in the middle of the bed, still examining his hands.

"Alright there Sweetling?" he asked as he lay on his side and watched the baby for a while.

"He's grown" Ianto was so excited, "I think he's heavier too. Uncle Owen will have to have a look."

At Owen's name the hands stopped moving and Heath looked expectantly towards the door making Jack roar with mirth, "Not now baby. Tomorrow at the hub. Gods, you are so clever."

Ianto smiled and opened the book again, that was worth documenting as well.

Heath likes his Uncle Owen.


	60. Chapter 60

60

Ianto was humming as he walked along the footpath, the list in his hand full of stuff for Owen and maybe a few bits for everyone else.

The moment he said he was going to the mall, Owen had gone into some sort of mental meltdown until he assured him that Jack already had Heath in the office ad he was going alone.

He huffed softly with mirth at the memory of Owen running up to check, like Ianto had smuggled him out in his pocket. Funnily of all the family, Owen was the one who had taken the 'kidnapping' as he called it repeatedly, personally.

He had parked the SUV in the only available parking space large enough for Black Beauty and as he neared the doors he became aware of a weird feeling that had him turning to look back across the lot.

He then chastised himself for being so nervy and started to push the trolley around, finished within half an hour and pleased with the rare checkout phenomenon, it had to be the first time all of the operators were actually manning the tills.

He loaded up and drove sedately out onto the road and turned up the radio, singing softly along with the oldie station.

 _Don't tell Jack._

His finger was tapping as he hit the main highway and increased his speed. The SUV was flying now as she ate up the road and Ianto couldn't wait to show Heath the tiny booties he had found in the toy section.

He got that weird feeling again and checked his rear-view mirror with a soft frown, turning down the music as he swerved around a small Honda going way too slow for the lane it was in.

He corrected his speed and checked again.

"Connect to Tosh" he demanded and the SUV hummed softly as it came on–line the connection to Mainframe alerting Tosh via the coms that Ianto was calling and she squealed.

"Oh my god, it works!" she was laughing "hands-free and I can see you. The cameras are working too."

"Are you telling me that Owen hasn't tested this yet?" Ianto asked with a huff of annoyance, the new software being in the SUV for weeks.

"You know Owen, if you had a Playstation installed he might have got to it sooner"

Ianto laughed softly, then checked the rear-view mirror again.

"Tosh, a black sedan with tinted windows is following me, could be a coincidence but if it is he is doing a damned fine job of impersonating a tail" Ianto informed her and he could hear the clicking of her keys as she used the CCTV to check, the cameras along the road starting to move to track him.

"It's a ….oh." she stopped talking and then called out to Jack that Ianto had a tail and he swore softly as he heard Jack's panicked voice come on the coms.

"Where is the nearest turn off, where can we get you that's safe?" he was demanding.

"Too far from a Heddlu station, too far from a school. I'm on the open road and I don't know if …"

Ianto stopped as the vehicle started closing in and he watched with horror as it rammed a car out of the way that was trying to merge.

"Cariad, did you see that? He just struck another vehicle" Ianto barked and Tosh was yelling at him to floor it.

Ianto slammed his foot down and leaned back against the seat, trying to remain calm and relax as he started weaving around traffic.

"Jack, I don't know how much …" the sedan slammed into the back of the SUV and Ianto yelped with surprise, then snarled as his hands tightened around the wheel, "I'm turning off, he's going to kill someone and I have to lead him away from the other vehicles."

As he spoke another car was slammed into and Ianto saw a small face screaming in the back seat as it spun out.

"NO!" he screamed, watching it in the side mirror as it slid over the edge of the embankment and into the ditch.

"There was a child in there, Tosh do we have emergency services on the way?" he demanded and she confirmed as the sedan rammed him again.

"Son of a bitch you are fucking me off!" Ianto roared, slamming his foot down on the brakes and enjoying the sickening crunch as the sedan ploughed into half a ton of armour plated, reinforced metal. The SUV looked standard but was a tank in disguise and Ianto knew that apart from paintwork, she would be fine.

He swung the wheel as he pulled on the handbrake and she swung her arse around, the sedan still chugging along the road and now he was facing his attacker and with a grin of malice he hit the gas, giving the sedan the biggest kiss with the SUV's grill work.

As the sedan spun around he saw it.

A flash of red on the passenger seat.

"Red beret" Ianto barked, "Fucking Unit. It's Unit!"

"Good, now get out of there, baby!" Jack begged, watching from the hub and unable to protect him, the tiny tot asleep upstairs unaware that his beloved Taddy was in danger.

Then Ianto had the same thought, Heath's little face.

He slid from the SUV and raised his gun firing into the vehicle until he was out of ammo and it looked like Swiss cheese.

"Get up from that motherfucker" he snarled as he climbed back into the SUV and took off.

He came to the vehicle in the ditch and saw with dismay that water was in the storm water drain, covering the front end of the car and he ran to the edge of the bank, sliding down to join other rescuers.

"Did you see tht guy?" a man yelled as he levered the door with a 'little' help from Ianto, "Fucker just kept going like this was some sort of game."

"Meth head probably" Ianto panted as he reached in and felt around, "Off his meds or off his face. Either way, breathing perfectly good air for no apparent reason."

"I hear that" another voice grunted as a woman joined them and they all sighed with relief as Ianto dragged the prone child out and handed her over before climbing all the way in for the adult.

At first he thought she was dead then to his relief the woman raised her head to stare blearily t him.

"Your daughter is already out, your turn" Ianto said gently as he reached out and tore the seat belt apart, freeing her neck and then ripping away the steering column that had pinned her to her seat.

Don't make 'em like they used to" he whispered and she laughed shakily despite her pain as he lifted her out.

It was a long drive home, wet and cold.

And triumphant.


	61. Chapter 61

61

One of the handlers Owen had pissed off with his wee offering that day in the woods, that was the official word along with the terse apology already waiting at the hub when Ianto got back and he looked over at Tosh with a raised eyebrow.

"I know" she sighed, "It is rather convenient that they got this report done while he was still in the wreckage."

"Not" Ianto huffed, "He's in the bloody back of the SUV actually, and not quite dead."

"You're fucking kidding me" Owen laughed. Then he sobered as Ianto looked at him without mirth.

"I am not joking" he confirmed, "After I was sure nobody had died, I went back and yanked him out. So … how did they know it was him?"

"Get anything else?" Tosh asked hopefully and Ianto winked.

"May have been a briefcase …" he started to say and then stepped aside as she roared past, Jack not far behind with his Webley drawn.

Ianto looked over at Owen's workstation and was pleased to see a little basket on a chair so Owen could see into it that contained a sleeping tot.

"Awww, was Uncle Owen watching you darling?" he gushed happily, watching the baby's mouth move into a smile as he was acknowledged, even in sleep.

Ianto went to gather him up and realised he was still wet so he waited for them to come back and Tosh smiled as Ianto asked her to mind Heath so he could shower and change. A little squeal had Ianto changing that as huge eyes begged for attention so he took the basket to the quarters and Heath was soon excitedly flapping his tiny limbs about as Ianto undressed them both and placed Heath on the raised platform with little sides Jack had made.

Ianto ran his hands over the little high chair style table that he knew would help him with Heath for quite a while, the sides high enough for a little toddler to sit in happily without falling out. That Jack had been so thoughtful, wanting the peanut safe as well as Ianto hands free was touching.

It also showed Ianto that he was investing in them.

Both of them.

Heath lay on the soft towel placed in there and Ianto slid it under the water, Heath's squeals of delight as he was rained on were so cute that Ianto could have stayed forever but he knew Heath was getting hungry from the little lip licking so he stepped out of the water and pulled on a large towelling robe, then turned off the water and plucked the soaked baby out, moving to the change table.

Heath was now engrossed in the TV screen on the ceiling, Tosh of course, and he lay still with his wee mouth open as he stared up at the universe floating past. Stars, planets, the occasional comet that would make him gasp.

Ianto had him dry and clothed, lifting the sides of the change table to convert it into a miniature crib, then moved over to the bed to finish drying and dressing himself.

Then he went back and scooped up his wee boy and slid him into the still open shirt much to his delight and a tiny hand immediately reached for the connectors.

He walked up to the hub floor and handed Heath over to Tosh, then went over to look down on the table.

Owen was standing there with a needle in his hand talking to Jack, the man on the table moaning with pain as he slowly bled out.

"Owen?" Ianto called out, "You gonna give him something?"

"Maybe" Owen barked back, "If the bastard starts talking I will!"

"Oh dear" Ianto sighed as the phone began to ring and he answered with his usual calm, "Mermaid Quay Tourist Office, may I be of assistance?"

"Oh dear" he repeated.

Tosh looked over at him as she fed the baby, her look one of question.

"I understand General, but you see …yes…no…..not at the moment he appears to be in a meeting ….yes, it does seem rather an important one" Ianto agreed as he walked over to the railing and the man below wailed with pain, "Pardon? Sorry sir, give me a moment …..yes….pardon?...oh, yes. Is he?"

Ianto's smile became quite predatory as he walked back to lean over the railing, "Excuse me Sir, do you have a moment for General Herding? He appears to want his fellow back."

Jack looked up, staring at Ianto and then the phone like he was confused then he started to laugh.

Loud maniacal laugher that echoed and Ianto held the phone away from his ear with a huff, "Well really, I cannot help you if you insist on being so rude. I may have to report you to HR!"

Jack canted his head and frowned.

"No sir, not as in Human Recourses, I mean as in HRH …. You know? Her Majesty?" Ianto laughed softly and said in a giddy voice "I still can't call her Lizzie no matter how often she pats my knee and asks me too, you know?"

"Sir?"

Ianto stopped talking and counted to ten.

"Sir? Are you alright?"

He then sighed loudly, "Look, I am sorry sir but I have just had my bath and need my Cariad to put some lotion on my back, I got a wee bit of sun on my shoulders today out on that roadside."

Ianto held the phone away from his ear and counted in Swahili … good language to know, never know where Swahili speaking aliens might show up ya know.

"Goodbye sir, he does appear finished and I do need a seeing to" he dropped the phone in its cradle and wandered over to the rail, looking down at the prone man on the table.

"Sorry there, your boss was a bit … how do I put it …busy." Ianto smiled softly, "Seems he doesn't want you now. Sir? I would like a rub down when you are ready."

Ianto then walked away singing softly and Jack turned to glare at the man on the table.

"Shame." Jack said softly, "I might have bartered for you. Oh well. Not much use now, might as well …um. Owen? You take care of it, turn the furnace up first though, oh and last time I could hear the bastard screaming. Kill this one first, yeah?"

Owen shrugged and stepped towards their prisoner as he started to scream.

Then, as they thought he might ….

He sang.

Like a good little canary.


	62. Chapter 62

62

Tosh recorded the confession like a good girl and after a moment's consideration Jack simply mass emailed it out to all contacts on the mailing list.

He knew by now there were people reading the report and then clicking the video file to watch the man say how they had detailed plans to capture Ianto Jones in order to use as leverage against Captain Harkness.

The Man Who Had the Queen's Ear.

By that afternoon Ianto was not only famous as the partner of Captain Harkness, but also for the accident assistance that had reached the media.

Jack went in search of Ianto and found him downstairs singing softly to his little boy, the tiny tot laying naked in the warm room with an equally naked Taddy laying with him.

"Lovely" Jack said softly and Ianto looked up with a loving smile, "Lotion?"

Jack applied some lotion and noticed that although pink, Ianto had not bruised or if he had the nanites had already taken care of it.

"How's the wee creep" Jack whispered and Ianto shrugged as he told him he hadn't seen Owen and pulled a robe on.

Jack laughed into Ianto's hair and Ianto sighed as he reached out to touch Jack's rear in a rare display of comedy, squeezing an arse cheek.

"I can't get a read on Owen" Ianto whispered, "He acts like such a cockney bastard but …when he looks at Heath he seems like a different person."

"He never had a father figure, just a mother who hates him" Jack answered as he rubbed Ianto's back and leaned back, trapping that lovely cyber hand that was leisurely massaging now, "I think you show the things you remember about your mum. The gentle calm way you do things, your kind heart and need to comfort, to provide. Owen never had that. All he can display is anger and hatred."

"So …he acts like that because he thinks that is what people see anyway?" Ianto surmised as he felt himself relaxing into the clutch, "He is afraid that the real him isn't that spectacular so he may as well give them something to go off about."

Jack looked up and into the eyes of Owen who was standing in the doorway in silent shock.

"You know the worst part?" Ianto asked softy, "I see Owen. I do. I don't' think he realises how loudly he projects and I hear him sometimes, his thoughts and self flagellation as he stomps about. I fear … I mean …if I ever told him that I love him, will he reject me? I see Owen, hidden beneath the bluster and he is a good man, a kind man and a good friend. He makes my day brighter sometimes just with his cheeky thoughts."

Jack watched as Owen blinked and gaped.

"I think Owen does care for you too" Jack tried while locking eyes with Owen over Ianto's shoulder, "I think he fears rejection too."

"We need to stick together" Ianto sighed, "We of the Lost and Unwanted. My Da beat me so bad once I couldn't hide in the ceiling like I usually did. Next night he was able to hurt me more …I had no one to save me. I had only my mother's memory to hold on to, to know I was worth something once. Who loves Owen? How can I hold him and keep him safe without freaking him out?"

"Turn around honey" Jack whispered and Ianto drew back, turning to find Owen behind him and he thrust the baby at Jack before pulling Owen into his arms.

"Oh Owen" Ianto smiled, "You are the best brother I could ask for. You are kind, generous with Heath and so goddamned funny. I couldn't be half a straight man, yeah I know….quite the pun, without you as the comedy act. I see you and I love you."

Owen pulled back, pulling at his jacket and clearing his throat as he smiled and reached for the baby, "I have an hour with him before you get 'im back!"

"How can we help you Owen?" Jack grinned.

"He's grown, I need to measure him coz he needs some new shit" Owen blustered and Ianto snorted as Owen slapped a hand over his mouth.

"We'll let that one go, yeah?" Ianto whispered, "Heath is asleep so it doesn't count."

Owen sloped off with a baby and a lopsided grin and Ianto turned to face Jack.

"I see you too ya know" he informed Jack. "Not the Captain in a coat, not the director of Torchwood Cardiff, not even the party animal. I see you Jax of Boeshane and I love you. You are of worth to me too."

Jack's face softened as he hugged him close again, "I love you too."

"Before you … I was my mother's son. Soft, calm and loving, gentle and needy" Ianto agreed, "But I'm not now. Now I'm a creature of another elk and I have you to thank for that."

"You are a self made man" Jack argued, "You are unique and I love you too my lovely Welshman."

"You know what I am?" Ianto canted his head and Jack grinned as he made a noise of question.

"Thanks to Torchwood, to you … I am who I need to be for our son" Ianto grinned back.

"And what is that Ianto?"

"I am Armed and Dangerous!"


End file.
